Short visit equals short post....that's our logic anyway. So you won't need to be tortured by endless ramblings about things you don't really care about. Sound good? We think so.
Soooo Venice, ay? Pretty canals, thunderstorms, bridges, flooding, movie-making, Vivaldi, music, masks and glass.
Ok, the end...
...just kidding.
I was a bit naive arriving in Venice as all my knowledge of the city had come from my cassette tape, Vivaldi's Ring of Mystery, which I played ad nauseam as a child. Needless to say, Venice was even grander than I had imagined. It is so beautiful - God, can I think of no word more original or more fitting to describe this great city? I fear I am unfit to express its loveliness in words and, therefore, will not even attempt it. Suffice it to say that the canals, the architecture and the gold ornamentation all dazzle the eye.
The concert - Shannon and I splurged (I kind of dragged her...sorry Shanaenae) on a classical music concert. The recital consisted of Vivaldi's Four Seasons, a Paganini cello piece, and Bach's Concerto in E Major. Crazily enough, the Four Seasons were the least awe-inspiring as the violinists simply did not bring their A-game. They did not appear to buy into the music themselves, and thus did not sell it to the audience. Rather, they looked a bit bored, as if they could care less and played notes rather than music. As if to compensate for his colleagues, the cellist showed so much emotion that he appeared to be having a perpetual seizure throughout the concert. It was both amusing and disturbing. Funnily enough, this worked when he played the Paganini as it allowed him to tell a story instead of merely focusing on the excruciating technical difficulty of the piece. Instead of gritting his teeth and going for every note, the audience was kept in continuous fits of laughter from his cheeky and capricious interpretation.
So this was my third visit to Venice...and the first time I had ever experienced such a rainstorm. Note to future visitors to Venice: don't go in the spring unless you want to be fearing for your luggage within your hotel room do to flooding. However, we still saw all the major sites: we did a tour of the Doge's Palace which includes walking across the Bridge of Sighs (cue sighs), went into San Marco, and bought far too many glass items on the Rialto Bridge. Luckily, we did have some nice weather in the morning of the day we left, so we were able to sit on the canal and enjoy some sun before heading back to London. It had to be enough as our plans for Athens and Santorini were thwarted. However, we have been having a ton of fun back in London, especially as it feels like home! We are staying with my mom's friends, Alison and Rick and they have been absolutely lovely hosts.
And so ends our European adventures. We are not quite done with London luckily and we will savor our remaining days. I will be here this summer for an internship and if you all are very very lucky and beg me enough, I will continue to write about that experience. I like chocolate.
Shannon and Lauren
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Florence
Special shout out to our mothers!!!! Happy Mother's Day to my mom and sisters and Shannon's mom and grandmas!!!!!! We love you guys and wish we could be there celebrating with you today.
Hooray! I get to go first! I have decided that I like Florence better than Rome. Perhaps it is because I don't remember much from the last time I was here so it feels like I'm experiencing everything for the first time. Or perhaps it is because it is a smaller, less confusing city than Rome with its crazy side roads that may or may not appear on the map. Or maybe it is because that I got some good food, good company, and good art. The good food was because of the fantastic company of Lauren's aunt and grandpa who were also in Florence as part of their 2 week excursion around Italy. Let's just say they are travelling in more style than we poor college students. Luckily, they were kind enough to include me in their mini family reunion and we had some fantastic dinners with even more amazing desserts. Not that we had been living on only pizza and gelato before.... They also let us accompany their tour group to the Uffizi Gallery which has some of my favorite paintings. Botticelli's Birth of Venus and Primavera of course, but most importantly, Titian's Venus of Urbino. I can't really explain why I love this painting so much, so Google it and perhaps you can explain it to me. Perhaps it is because I find her look even more mysterious than the Mona Lisa's.
The first thing I did upon arriving in our small, cute and mosquito-ridden hostel was to throw open the window and shout in a dismayed manner to no one in particular "But, Charlotte, I thought we were to have a room with a view!" For those of you who do not understand this reference, please read A Room with a View by E.M. Forster. It is fantastic, and you will spend the rest of your life wishing to wander around the poppy strewn fields of Florence looking for your George Emerson.
Anyhow, a few kajillion mosquito bites later, Shannon and I met up with my aunt and grandfather at the Duomo. Prior to meeting them, we had explored the interior of this church while paying special attention to Brunelleschi's magnificent dome. Once outside, we saw them, and it was wonderful! Having not seen them in four months (which has felt like a lifetime) it was a wonderful reunion. Not only was I able to catch up on all the latest family gossip (just kidding, Webers!) but Shannon and I were treated to luscious lunches and delectable dinners. My favourite meal was most likely the one we had at Quatro Leoni at my mother and brother's suggestion. My meal was an interesting amalgamation of flavours consisting of pasta stuffed with cream cheese and pears and a sauce of asparagus and cream. It was different, but absolutely scrumptous. Substantially stuffed after this, I somehow managed to eat a large piece of pear and chocolate cake. It was FANTASTIC!
My fantastic family also let us accompany them on tours such as the Ufizzi (as Shannon mentioned) and Santa Croce church...which incidently plays a prominent role in A Room with a View. Laura and Grandpa also got us tickets to the Academy to see David. What a hottie petatie! You'd never think a sculpture could be so smokin', but he is. I think it's the forearms. They're all muscular and vein-y, but not in a nasty way like he does Tai-Bo twenty hours a day and has steroids for lunch. Despite David's charms, my favourite exhibit at the Academy had to be the musical instruments donated from the Conservatory of Florence. There was a Stradivarius violin and cello!!!! They were absolutely gorgeous and I was able to hear the sound they produce on a listening device the museum provided. Obviously it didn't compare to what it would have sounded like live....for that reason, and of course, simply wanting to touch genius, I had the strongest desire to break open the glass surrounding the violin with my own brute strength, and play it. Wouldn't that have been amazing? Gosh, gosh, gosh, it was a thing of beauty and I don't think I've wanted anything so badly as I wanted that instrument.
Anywho, Shannon and I had parted ways at the music exhibit, so after I explored it, I went on another church crawl and exploration of Florence on my own. It was a bustling, sunny, warm day, and a lovely morning for a stroll.
As Lauren said, we had our separate adventures today as I, for some strange reason, did not share her desire to go to Mass. Instead, I went to see more art. Surprise surprise. I can just see my mom reading this and laughing because I sound just like her with my raving reviews of all this fabulous art I've seen. So, I saw some more. I went to the Pitti Palace which was the home of the Medici Family when they were the rulers in Florence....which was for a long time. They collected a lot of art in that time, and the very last family member, before she died, legally tied all of the art together and gave it to the city of Florence where it must always remain. I was surprised to find that they had a painting that I like very much, Ruben's The Consequences of War. I also went in very fancy rooms that had been used by the Medici's and still had their grand furnishings.
Sadly enough, our next stop (Venice) will be our last stop as our trip is being cut short by the riots going on in Athens. We decided to play it safe and not go when it is so turbulent there. So we are heading back to London on Wednesday...oh darn. Another week in London. How will we ever bear it?
Andiamo a Venzia!
Shannon and Lauren
Hooray! I get to go first! I have decided that I like Florence better than Rome. Perhaps it is because I don't remember much from the last time I was here so it feels like I'm experiencing everything for the first time. Or perhaps it is because it is a smaller, less confusing city than Rome with its crazy side roads that may or may not appear on the map. Or maybe it is because that I got some good food, good company, and good art. The good food was because of the fantastic company of Lauren's aunt and grandpa who were also in Florence as part of their 2 week excursion around Italy. Let's just say they are travelling in more style than we poor college students. Luckily, they were kind enough to include me in their mini family reunion and we had some fantastic dinners with even more amazing desserts. Not that we had been living on only pizza and gelato before.... They also let us accompany their tour group to the Uffizi Gallery which has some of my favorite paintings. Botticelli's Birth of Venus and Primavera of course, but most importantly, Titian's Venus of Urbino. I can't really explain why I love this painting so much, so Google it and perhaps you can explain it to me. Perhaps it is because I find her look even more mysterious than the Mona Lisa's.
The first thing I did upon arriving in our small, cute and mosquito-ridden hostel was to throw open the window and shout in a dismayed manner to no one in particular "But, Charlotte, I thought we were to have a room with a view!" For those of you who do not understand this reference, please read A Room with a View by E.M. Forster. It is fantastic, and you will spend the rest of your life wishing to wander around the poppy strewn fields of Florence looking for your George Emerson.
Anyhow, a few kajillion mosquito bites later, Shannon and I met up with my aunt and grandfather at the Duomo. Prior to meeting them, we had explored the interior of this church while paying special attention to Brunelleschi's magnificent dome. Once outside, we saw them, and it was wonderful! Having not seen them in four months (which has felt like a lifetime) it was a wonderful reunion. Not only was I able to catch up on all the latest family gossip (just kidding, Webers!) but Shannon and I were treated to luscious lunches and delectable dinners. My favourite meal was most likely the one we had at Quatro Leoni at my mother and brother's suggestion. My meal was an interesting amalgamation of flavours consisting of pasta stuffed with cream cheese and pears and a sauce of asparagus and cream. It was different, but absolutely scrumptous. Substantially stuffed after this, I somehow managed to eat a large piece of pear and chocolate cake. It was FANTASTIC!
My fantastic family also let us accompany them on tours such as the Ufizzi (as Shannon mentioned) and Santa Croce church...which incidently plays a prominent role in A Room with a View. Laura and Grandpa also got us tickets to the Academy to see David. What a hottie petatie! You'd never think a sculpture could be so smokin', but he is. I think it's the forearms. They're all muscular and vein-y, but not in a nasty way like he does Tai-Bo twenty hours a day and has steroids for lunch. Despite David's charms, my favourite exhibit at the Academy had to be the musical instruments donated from the Conservatory of Florence. There was a Stradivarius violin and cello!!!! They were absolutely gorgeous and I was able to hear the sound they produce on a listening device the museum provided. Obviously it didn't compare to what it would have sounded like live....for that reason, and of course, simply wanting to touch genius, I had the strongest desire to break open the glass surrounding the violin with my own brute strength, and play it. Wouldn't that have been amazing? Gosh, gosh, gosh, it was a thing of beauty and I don't think I've wanted anything so badly as I wanted that instrument.
Anywho, Shannon and I had parted ways at the music exhibit, so after I explored it, I went on another church crawl and exploration of Florence on my own. It was a bustling, sunny, warm day, and a lovely morning for a stroll.
As Lauren said, we had our separate adventures today as I, for some strange reason, did not share her desire to go to Mass. Instead, I went to see more art. Surprise surprise. I can just see my mom reading this and laughing because I sound just like her with my raving reviews of all this fabulous art I've seen. So, I saw some more. I went to the Pitti Palace which was the home of the Medici Family when they were the rulers in Florence....which was for a long time. They collected a lot of art in that time, and the very last family member, before she died, legally tied all of the art together and gave it to the city of Florence where it must always remain. I was surprised to find that they had a painting that I like very much, Ruben's The Consequences of War. I also went in very fancy rooms that had been used by the Medici's and still had their grand furnishings.
Sadly enough, our next stop (Venice) will be our last stop as our trip is being cut short by the riots going on in Athens. We decided to play it safe and not go when it is so turbulent there. So we are heading back to London on Wednesday...oh darn. Another week in London. How will we ever bear it?
Andiamo a Venzia!
Shannon and Lauren
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
ROMA by Lauren with commentary by Shannon
Ah, Roma! Dean Martin had it right when he said "That's amore". It's quite easy to fall in love with the beautiful sights, smells and tastes of Italy.
The first day, Shannon and I explored the Vatican after waiting in a line for two and a half hours. It was well worth the wait. Although I didn't bump into the Pope, I was able to walk around this massive structure and enjoy paintings by Raffael and Michelangelo...in other words, two out of the four ninja turtles. While the Sistine Chapel was perfectly lovely, the hoards of people and the ensuing bottleneck provided a rather uncomfortable atmosphere. In contrast, the Basilica of St. Peter was absolutely marvelous. Of all the churches, this was obviously the most impressive with its large dome and magnificent frescoes. However, my favourite place of worship (of all 900 we visited) was a small chiesa that fulfilled the three necessary components to my definition of a perfect church. First of all, it smelled of a combination of incense and old, musty wood. Secondly, it was a visual masterpiece with frescoes and sculptures dotting the walls and ceilings. Thirdly, it was quiet and allowed a person to think and enjoy the peaceful retreat from the chaos of the city. I always find comfort in entering churches such as this...they immediately provide a sense of calm and serenity. Furthermore, this church allowed people to wander everywhere - including down a winding stone staircase into the crypt. Shannon did not care to join me in this endeavor, and so I went alone. It was completely creepy and quite frightening, but also, meh, I hate this word but I'm going to use it anyway, cool. Dimly lit, it consisted of a large stone room with an altar to one side and a corridor leading off to the right, where two, partially open wooden doors were present. I did not go behind these doors...call me superstitious, but I was pretty sure that no good could come of it.
I also enjoyed all the churches and I have to say that I probably sat in more pews in the last three days than I have in my entire life....or since I was last in Italy. Let's just say my religious views are not the same as Lauren's. Therefore, I appreciated the plethora of churches for different reasons. First, one of my favorite sculptures ever is in St. Peter's Basilica. It is Michaelanglo's sculpture of Mary holding her dead son across her lap and looking at him in a way that is both devastating but proud. I fell in love with this statue the first time I was in Italy, when I was 7, so needless to say its powerful display of devotion has stuck, even in the mind of a dedicated atheist. I admired all the smaller churches, too, noticing how each one was unique in its design, art, and atmosphere. Some of the sculpture and the frescos were truly amazing.
The time has come for the description of the Colosseum and the Roman Forum. They rocked, ok? Like literally, since they were built in the Days of Yore from stones. AHAHAHAHAA!!! Lauren made a funny! (You can't see it, but I'm rolling my eyes.) But seriously, way COOL. The part I loved best, however, was the garden connecting the two. Poor Shannon, I told her I'd be back in a minute, but the meadows, the copses and the gardens enthralled me and held me captive. (Quick side note, I'd already been in said gardens and knew that she was going to go in and never want to come out and that when she finally did come out, she'd be raving about how it reminded her of the Secret Garden and how she wanted to live there forever. So I found a cozy rock and waited.....) It was green, and odiferous (in a good way) and shady. Additionally, there were a few houses dotting the landscape that looked so rustic that I pranced with glee. You know the kind, shutters and flower boxes and whatnot.
The Trevi Fountain and the Spanish Steps were our go-to at night as we sat in one of the two locations and watched the sun set while eating our third cone of gelato that day. LOVELY LOVELY! Does it get any better? Methinks not. I've discovered that my favorite gelato remains Stracchiatella (chocolate chip) which was the only kind I would eat when I was 7....
PIZZA! I had not tasted pizza before Italy. The way they do the sauce...the spices...I can't put my finger on it, but it is luscious and delectable. Needless to say, much pizza has been consumed. Pizza and gelato every day. We are healthy eaters over here. And thank goodness that our next stop is Florence (hence, still in Italy) so we may continue to chow down on pizza and gelato. Because we aren't quite ready to stop eating them....
Today consisted of the pantheon, the Piazza Novona and a lovely area south of the Vatican that contained lovely parks and fountains. No more detail at present since we have to get going, but (faithful reader) be aware of a funny story coming up that we can't divulge in our present circumstances.
Ciao for now!!!!
Lauren and Shannon
The first day, Shannon and I explored the Vatican after waiting in a line for two and a half hours. It was well worth the wait. Although I didn't bump into the Pope, I was able to walk around this massive structure and enjoy paintings by Raffael and Michelangelo...in other words, two out of the four ninja turtles. While the Sistine Chapel was perfectly lovely, the hoards of people and the ensuing bottleneck provided a rather uncomfortable atmosphere. In contrast, the Basilica of St. Peter was absolutely marvelous. Of all the churches, this was obviously the most impressive with its large dome and magnificent frescoes. However, my favourite place of worship (of all 900 we visited) was a small chiesa that fulfilled the three necessary components to my definition of a perfect church. First of all, it smelled of a combination of incense and old, musty wood. Secondly, it was a visual masterpiece with frescoes and sculptures dotting the walls and ceilings. Thirdly, it was quiet and allowed a person to think and enjoy the peaceful retreat from the chaos of the city. I always find comfort in entering churches such as this...they immediately provide a sense of calm and serenity. Furthermore, this church allowed people to wander everywhere - including down a winding stone staircase into the crypt. Shannon did not care to join me in this endeavor, and so I went alone. It was completely creepy and quite frightening, but also, meh, I hate this word but I'm going to use it anyway, cool. Dimly lit, it consisted of a large stone room with an altar to one side and a corridor leading off to the right, where two, partially open wooden doors were present. I did not go behind these doors...call me superstitious, but I was pretty sure that no good could come of it.
I also enjoyed all the churches and I have to say that I probably sat in more pews in the last three days than I have in my entire life....or since I was last in Italy. Let's just say my religious views are not the same as Lauren's. Therefore, I appreciated the plethora of churches for different reasons. First, one of my favorite sculptures ever is in St. Peter's Basilica. It is Michaelanglo's sculpture of Mary holding her dead son across her lap and looking at him in a way that is both devastating but proud. I fell in love with this statue the first time I was in Italy, when I was 7, so needless to say its powerful display of devotion has stuck, even in the mind of a dedicated atheist. I admired all the smaller churches, too, noticing how each one was unique in its design, art, and atmosphere. Some of the sculpture and the frescos were truly amazing.
The time has come for the description of the Colosseum and the Roman Forum. They rocked, ok? Like literally, since they were built in the Days of Yore from stones. AHAHAHAHAA!!! Lauren made a funny! (You can't see it, but I'm rolling my eyes.) But seriously, way COOL. The part I loved best, however, was the garden connecting the two. Poor Shannon, I told her I'd be back in a minute, but the meadows, the copses and the gardens enthralled me and held me captive. (Quick side note, I'd already been in said gardens and knew that she was going to go in and never want to come out and that when she finally did come out, she'd be raving about how it reminded her of the Secret Garden and how she wanted to live there forever. So I found a cozy rock and waited.....) It was green, and odiferous (in a good way) and shady. Additionally, there were a few houses dotting the landscape that looked so rustic that I pranced with glee. You know the kind, shutters and flower boxes and whatnot.
The Trevi Fountain and the Spanish Steps were our go-to at night as we sat in one of the two locations and watched the sun set while eating our third cone of gelato that day. LOVELY LOVELY! Does it get any better? Methinks not. I've discovered that my favorite gelato remains Stracchiatella (chocolate chip) which was the only kind I would eat when I was 7....
PIZZA! I had not tasted pizza before Italy. The way they do the sauce...the spices...I can't put my finger on it, but it is luscious and delectable. Needless to say, much pizza has been consumed. Pizza and gelato every day. We are healthy eaters over here. And thank goodness that our next stop is Florence (hence, still in Italy) so we may continue to chow down on pizza and gelato. Because we aren't quite ready to stop eating them....
Today consisted of the pantheon, the Piazza Novona and a lovely area south of the Vatican that contained lovely parks and fountains. No more detail at present since we have to get going, but (faithful reader) be aware of a funny story coming up that we can't divulge in our present circumstances.
Ciao for now!!!!
Lauren and Shannon
Saturday, May 1, 2010
Amsterdam (with the same color codings as Paris)
Shannon and I expected a bit of revelry when we reached Amsterdam, but we weren't prepared for the completely crazed manner in which Queen's Day was celebrated. An odor unlike anything we have ever experienced, Queen's Day's unique smell consisted of fair food, urine, beer, and pot. Quite a delectable quartet. As we ventured outside our hotel, we were greeted by great throngs of people all wearing orange (why orange? We have yet to figure that out.) It was like a mixture of the State Fair and Mifflin on steroids. Seriously, the whole city was out and drunk by 10 am. I have never seen nor smelled so much pot in my life. It was truly an experience. After a few hours of this, Shannon and I escaped to the hushed and reverent quiet of Anne Frank's House where we explored the secret attic in which she and her family lived for 2 years. It was a truly touching moment as we walked on the floorboards she had once trod upon and gazed at the posters of film stars with which she had decorated her room. Perhaps the most moving moment was when we came across the markings Otto Frank had made to measure the children's growth. This more than anything made Anne's story real as her physicality was literally brought to life. Also of intrigue were her perfectly preserved diaries as well as an emotional video of Otto as he spoke of reading Anne's diary for the first time. It was absolutely heartbreaking. I can't imagine how that man found the will to live after losing his family and experiencing the brutality of Auschwitz. Thank God he did have the strength to carry on as it is due to him that Anne's house is open to the public and her diaries are published.
Here I am talking about art again. Museum going was much more tempting as it has been rainy and cold. So we also went to the Van Gogh museum. Alas, there was no student discount and after failing to convince the stern ticket lady that Lauren was 17 (and thereby gaining free admission), we heaved over the 14 Euros each and went in. It was a beautiful collection that included many artworks of Van Gogh's influences as well as many of his own paintings. Our favorites were his paintings that had been inspired by Japanese prints, but used his own signature bright colors. Lauren had to drag me from the gift shop.
After the Van Gogh museum, we wandered down to the Red Light District. Surreal would not even begin to cover the phenomenom that is legal prostitution. Women in windows clad in nothing but their underwear beckoned to ogling passersby soliciting their services. After two minutes of this, I felt dirty and needed to leave that area (I was laughing at her the entire time). While sex shoved at me in a blatant manner is not my style, I can't help but support legal prostitution as it creates safer working conditions for the girls.
I am now dragging Lauren to her first ever Hard Rock Cafe experience. See you in Roma!
Lauren and Shannon
Here I am talking about art again. Museum going was much more tempting as it has been rainy and cold. So we also went to the Van Gogh museum. Alas, there was no student discount and after failing to convince the stern ticket lady that Lauren was 17 (and thereby gaining free admission), we heaved over the 14 Euros each and went in. It was a beautiful collection that included many artworks of Van Gogh's influences as well as many of his own paintings. Our favorites were his paintings that had been inspired by Japanese prints, but used his own signature bright colors. Lauren had to drag me from the gift shop.
After the Van Gogh museum, we wandered down to the Red Light District. Surreal would not even begin to cover the phenomenom that is legal prostitution. Women in windows clad in nothing but their underwear beckoned to ogling passersby soliciting their services. After two minutes of this, I felt dirty and needed to leave that area (I was laughing at her the entire time). While sex shoved at me in a blatant manner is not my style, I can't help but support legal prostitution as it creates safer working conditions for the girls.
I am now dragging Lauren to her first ever Hard Rock Cafe experience. See you in Roma!
Lauren and Shannon
Thursday, April 29, 2010
PARIS by Lauren and Shannon
Thank God for Shannon and her French skills. She will no doubt refute this as soon as I pass her the keyboard, but she is far too modest about her impressive foreign language abilities. Many a time I have stared blankly at some gent or other who has decided to accost me with rapid-fire French. At times like this it is quite lovely to have someone to close the language barrier and keep me from looking like a total dolt.
As Lauren said, I refuse to say that my French was spectacular, but I did okay. I think my Italian skills are much better so we'll have to compare after we go there. Anyway, Lauren and I have been having a fabulous time in Paris and have managed to survive so far. It has been so beautiful here; sunny and warm and wonderful. The first day we did a free walking tour as we tend to do in a new city. It wasn't the best we have ever experienced, but it helped us get our bearings in this huge city. We are staying in Montmartre which is in the quieter, northern part of Paris and is an easy Metro ride into the big city centre. Back to the tour...we saw the big sites like Notre Dame, the Seine river, the Louvre, and the Eiffel Tower bien sur (of course). However, it was the lesser known trivia that interested us. First there was the Artist's Bridge where there are artists (crazy logic I know), but more interesting are the locks that cover the iron railings. The theory is that you and your love buy a lock and lock it to the bridge and throw away the key into the river so that your love will stayed locked in Paris forever. Awwwwww.... The other fun fact was the French Institute which is a special group whose purpose is to preserve the French language, especially against English. Stupid English. So we heard the story about how they refused to accept that the French word for computer was going to be un computer and so came up with a new word, l'ordinature, which is what is used. They also have the fun task of deciding a word's gender since nouns are either masculine or feminine in French. After three months of debate, they decided the iPod is masculine.
Hay Hay Hay! Back again! What would an adventure in Paris be without a description of the food? Every morning the hostel provides us with croissants and many crepes have been ingested, mostly of the chocolate variety. Pan e fromage is a daily staple as it is cheap and everywhere. Why, I grabbed a cheese sandwich at a kiosk the other day on my way to the most amazing bookstore. Horrible segueway, but whatever. I'm tired. And writing on a French keyboard...which is difficult. Soooo...the bookstore. Right. It is GROOVY! It's called Shakespeare and Co. and sells only English books. It has played a prominent role in a few films and its charm lies in its complete individuality. There are books from floor to ceiling with ladders used to get at the particularly musty ones up top. Very reminiscent of Beauty and the Beast, and I must say that I'd like to emulate Belle's example and start singing lovingly about the written word while swinging wildly about on a ladder. Anyhoo, there are random nooks and crannies that contain beds where aspiring artists are allowed to bunk for free. Way cool, huh? And in a fort-like area there is a typewriter for those overwhelmed by their creative muse. A piano available for anyone to play provides a perfect soundtrack to this lovely store.
Ze Eiffel Tower. Hoh hoh!! Shannon and I arrived at this incredible monument just as the sun was setting. This provided the perfect backdrop for overzealous picture taking as well as truly profound (and by that, I mean mundane) conversations. I was fully expecting Shannon to propose her love to me under the brilliant glow of the tower, but she forgot the ring. A sad night for me, no?
As a quick note to Lauren's comment, I would have proposed had we gone to the top of the Tower.
Yeah, right. You jilted me. It's fine. It's not like I'm hurt or anything...
Well then, you should have proposed to me. But no, I have to do all the work....like leading you around the city as the fearless leader once more.
Whatever Shannon. You're in the doghouse. We'll discuss our domestic issues later. Just talk about the museums, ok?
Fine. We went to four museums and got into all of them for free. Hells to the yes. This is because if you are between 16 and 25 and are a student in the European Union you get into museums free and we had our London student cards. Awesome. Anyway, we of course went to the Musée D'Orsay and the Louvre. The Musée D'Orsay is really cool as it used to be a train station and they just left it as it looked before and put some art on the walls and sculptures in the middle of the room. Lauren and I liked it because it is mostly Impressionists paintings, so Monet, Degas, Van Gogh, and Renoir. The Louvre was also really cool albeit enormous. We spent about 3 hours in there seeing the big masterpieces like the Mona Lisa and Winged Victory and the Rubens Room. Lauren dragged me to the Napolean apartments which were very pretty and also much quieter as they were far from the Mona Lisa.
However, our favorite museums were the two smaller museums we went to. The first was the Musée de Cluny which was by my insistance as it houses the famous Lady and the Unicorn tapestries. I read a historical fiction book about them and have wanted to see them ever since. So I was hyperly excited while I'm sure Lauren was rolling her eyes at me. But she liked them too. There are 6 tapestries of the Lady and her Unicorn and although they were made in the 1400s, they are in wonderful condition and have always been kept together as a set. The first 5 depict the 5 senses while the 6th one is called Mon Seul Desire (My soul's desire) which is supposed to show the 6th sense, the sense of the heart and emotions. I loved loved loved them and Lauren loved that they were housed in an old monastary complete with secret, winding staircases. The last museum was Musée de l'Orangerie which was in a greenhouse in the Jardins des Tuileries behind the Louvre. It is known for having Monet's Waterlilly paintings (and it does) but it also has more Impressionist paintings that made us love this collection as much as we loved the Musée D'Orsay's collection.
Phew, this is a long post! If you're still reading, you get a gold star!
Perhaps my favourite part of France has been reveling in the Parisian atmosphere. I love walking along the bank of the Seine or sitting in one of the many gardens observing Parisians at large.
Today Shannon and I are off to Le Sacre Couer and the Moulin Rouge before taking a train to Amsterdam. Who knows what adventure this next locale will bring!
Lots of love,
Lauren and Shannon
As Lauren said, I refuse to say that my French was spectacular, but I did okay. I think my Italian skills are much better so we'll have to compare after we go there. Anyway, Lauren and I have been having a fabulous time in Paris and have managed to survive so far. It has been so beautiful here; sunny and warm and wonderful. The first day we did a free walking tour as we tend to do in a new city. It wasn't the best we have ever experienced, but it helped us get our bearings in this huge city. We are staying in Montmartre which is in the quieter, northern part of Paris and is an easy Metro ride into the big city centre. Back to the tour...we saw the big sites like Notre Dame, the Seine river, the Louvre, and the Eiffel Tower bien sur (of course). However, it was the lesser known trivia that interested us. First there was the Artist's Bridge where there are artists (crazy logic I know), but more interesting are the locks that cover the iron railings. The theory is that you and your love buy a lock and lock it to the bridge and throw away the key into the river so that your love will stayed locked in Paris forever. Awwwwww.... The other fun fact was the French Institute which is a special group whose purpose is to preserve the French language, especially against English. Stupid English. So we heard the story about how they refused to accept that the French word for computer was going to be un computer and so came up with a new word, l'ordinature, which is what is used. They also have the fun task of deciding a word's gender since nouns are either masculine or feminine in French. After three months of debate, they decided the iPod is masculine.
Hay Hay Hay! Back again! What would an adventure in Paris be without a description of the food? Every morning the hostel provides us with croissants and many crepes have been ingested, mostly of the chocolate variety. Pan e fromage is a daily staple as it is cheap and everywhere. Why, I grabbed a cheese sandwich at a kiosk the other day on my way to the most amazing bookstore. Horrible segueway, but whatever. I'm tired. And writing on a French keyboard...which is difficult. Soooo...the bookstore. Right. It is GROOVY! It's called Shakespeare and Co. and sells only English books. It has played a prominent role in a few films and its charm lies in its complete individuality. There are books from floor to ceiling with ladders used to get at the particularly musty ones up top. Very reminiscent of Beauty and the Beast, and I must say that I'd like to emulate Belle's example and start singing lovingly about the written word while swinging wildly about on a ladder. Anyhoo, there are random nooks and crannies that contain beds where aspiring artists are allowed to bunk for free. Way cool, huh? And in a fort-like area there is a typewriter for those overwhelmed by their creative muse. A piano available for anyone to play provides a perfect soundtrack to this lovely store.
Ze Eiffel Tower. Hoh hoh!! Shannon and I arrived at this incredible monument just as the sun was setting. This provided the perfect backdrop for overzealous picture taking as well as truly profound (and by that, I mean mundane) conversations. I was fully expecting Shannon to propose her love to me under the brilliant glow of the tower, but she forgot the ring. A sad night for me, no?
As a quick note to Lauren's comment, I would have proposed had we gone to the top of the Tower.
Yeah, right. You jilted me. It's fine. It's not like I'm hurt or anything...
Well then, you should have proposed to me. But no, I have to do all the work....like leading you around the city as the fearless leader once more.
Whatever Shannon. You're in the doghouse. We'll discuss our domestic issues later. Just talk about the museums, ok?
Fine. We went to four museums and got into all of them for free. Hells to the yes. This is because if you are between 16 and 25 and are a student in the European Union you get into museums free and we had our London student cards. Awesome. Anyway, we of course went to the Musée D'Orsay and the Louvre. The Musée D'Orsay is really cool as it used to be a train station and they just left it as it looked before and put some art on the walls and sculptures in the middle of the room. Lauren and I liked it because it is mostly Impressionists paintings, so Monet, Degas, Van Gogh, and Renoir. The Louvre was also really cool albeit enormous. We spent about 3 hours in there seeing the big masterpieces like the Mona Lisa and Winged Victory and the Rubens Room. Lauren dragged me to the Napolean apartments which were very pretty and also much quieter as they were far from the Mona Lisa.
However, our favorite museums were the two smaller museums we went to. The first was the Musée de Cluny which was by my insistance as it houses the famous Lady and the Unicorn tapestries. I read a historical fiction book about them and have wanted to see them ever since. So I was hyperly excited while I'm sure Lauren was rolling her eyes at me. But she liked them too. There are 6 tapestries of the Lady and her Unicorn and although they were made in the 1400s, they are in wonderful condition and have always been kept together as a set. The first 5 depict the 5 senses while the 6th one is called Mon Seul Desire (My soul's desire) which is supposed to show the 6th sense, the sense of the heart and emotions. I loved loved loved them and Lauren loved that they were housed in an old monastary complete with secret, winding staircases. The last museum was Musée de l'Orangerie which was in a greenhouse in the Jardins des Tuileries behind the Louvre. It is known for having Monet's Waterlilly paintings (and it does) but it also has more Impressionist paintings that made us love this collection as much as we loved the Musée D'Orsay's collection.
Phew, this is a long post! If you're still reading, you get a gold star!
Perhaps my favourite part of France has been reveling in the Parisian atmosphere. I love walking along the bank of the Seine or sitting in one of the many gardens observing Parisians at large.
Today Shannon and I are off to Le Sacre Couer and the Moulin Rouge before taking a train to Amsterdam. Who knows what adventure this next locale will bring!
Lots of love,
Lauren and Shannon
Sunday, April 25, 2010
London Goodbyes and New Adventures
Gosh, I cannot believe that I am leaving London today. While absolutely trembling with excitement about my European backpacking adventure, it will be hard to say good-bye to this wonderful city that I love.
In order to combat the overly-sentimental and misty-eyed rambling in which I am close to indulging, I will instead reminisce about my favourite adventures of the past two weeks:
1. Borough Market - LOVE IT! This market is covered, displays all sorts of deliciously amazing food and is the most reminiscent of the farmer's markets in Minnesota. Needless to say I felt right at home there, sampling all sorts of lovely fair before paying a pound for a roll of cheesy bread stuffed with roasted veggies. Deeelicious! It was one of the first truly fine days, and Alex and I soaked up the sun on our walk from the market to St. Paul's - stopping in a flower garden on the way to inhale the lovely scents.
2. St. Paul's Cathedral - Alex and I were crafty with this one. Not wanting to pay the heavy fee to get in, we told the ticket man we wished to attend mass. Which we did, of course, or else our guilt complexes would have plagued us mercilessly. After a short mass (one of the perks to the Anglican church) we strolled around the main area admiring the absolutely awe-inspiring mosaics before heading down into the crypt. The crypt, full of dead people as they are, was rather ironic as right near the tombs and effigies was a gift shop and cafe. You know, so you could have tea next to your favourite martyr and then promptly buy a commemorative postcard of the event.
3. Ain't Nothin' But the Blues Bar - Followed by our groupies, my chum Damien and I made our way to the Blues Bar for a little jam session at open mic night last Saturday. It was a crazy good time for me. Not only did I get to listen to some really great artists, but I got to test out my improvisational skills in a fairly low-pressure environment. It was definitely novel playing with poor posture, not having to analyze all 500 aspects of my technique at once and not having to worry about certain Romanian violin teachers screaming that I have no personality on my violin. I must say, I'm a fan. Although Damien and I agreed we didn't play our best we had a really good time, and it inspired me to perhaps do something similar in the States.
4. Frisbee in Hyde Park - Yup, all you doubters. Lauren played frisbee. Twice. And threw out her arm. Ah well. Having never really played before I was a bit nervous, but it is actually quite a fun game! And I found that I can throw equally as well with my left hand as with my right, which is to say, not well at all. When we got tired of frisbee we played a game of tag until we were so exhausted that we collapsed on the grass. It was another truly spectacular day and we enjoyed the warmth of the sun, and the embrace of the breeze. I must say, I'm beginning to understand why the British always talk about the weather. When it's nice out, it is such a rare occurrence that one can't help but to remark with great joy on the beauty of the day. When the weather is terrible, people feel inclined to mumble their complaints. So you see, this one socially-acceptable subject actually does make sense.
5. The British Library - On my way to said library I was accosted by the St. George's Day Parade (the patron saint of England) in the City of London. It was quite fun with the various regiments represented (and swoon-worthy!) and various lords and ladies attired in medieval clothing. I honestly don't know how they managed to get full-grown men into tunics, tights and armor, but they bore the humiliation well. Once safely ensconced in the library, I was in heaven! Gosh, I don't even know where to begin. Well, for starters, they had a new exhibition up about Chopin and among various items of interest were his death mask and a cast made of his hand. You will not believe this but his hands were as small as mine! They were tiny! As if to make up for their size, his nose exceeded all other noses in length...accept, perhaps, for Pinocchio. Among the musical manuscripts I viewed were works by Beethoven, Mozart, Vaughan Williams, Handel and the Beatles! The Beatles exhibit was especially groovy as they had assorted pieces of paper that John and Paul had scribbled their lyrics onto. I believe it was Ticket to Ride that John had composed on the back of Julian's one year birthday card. I began forcibly freaking out when I viewed the first published folio of Shakespeare's work, his supposed handwriting, an un-published story by a young Jane Austen, and Charlotte Bronte's early writings. To view their original script, and the books in which they wrote, to actually read (with difficulty) the very words which they had, themselves, penned was absolutely incredible. There was no shortage of treasures at the British Library, but with regret, I had to tear myself away after three hours.
As aforementioned, in a few hours time I will be embarking on the first leg of my adventure, Paris. While rather apprehensive about the language barrier, I was assured by a lovely couple in a pub the other night, that the French absolutely adore Americans. Having heard the contrary all my life, I suppose I shall just have to discover this for myself.
Posts will be as sporadic as they have been the past few weeks as internet access will be scarce. However, I will do my best to convey my adventures in a timely fashion.
Au revoir,
Lauren
In order to combat the overly-sentimental and misty-eyed rambling in which I am close to indulging, I will instead reminisce about my favourite adventures of the past two weeks:
1. Borough Market - LOVE IT! This market is covered, displays all sorts of deliciously amazing food and is the most reminiscent of the farmer's markets in Minnesota. Needless to say I felt right at home there, sampling all sorts of lovely fair before paying a pound for a roll of cheesy bread stuffed with roasted veggies. Deeelicious! It was one of the first truly fine days, and Alex and I soaked up the sun on our walk from the market to St. Paul's - stopping in a flower garden on the way to inhale the lovely scents.
2. St. Paul's Cathedral - Alex and I were crafty with this one. Not wanting to pay the heavy fee to get in, we told the ticket man we wished to attend mass. Which we did, of course, or else our guilt complexes would have plagued us mercilessly. After a short mass (one of the perks to the Anglican church) we strolled around the main area admiring the absolutely awe-inspiring mosaics before heading down into the crypt. The crypt, full of dead people as they are, was rather ironic as right near the tombs and effigies was a gift shop and cafe. You know, so you could have tea next to your favourite martyr and then promptly buy a commemorative postcard of the event.
3. Ain't Nothin' But the Blues Bar - Followed by our groupies, my chum Damien and I made our way to the Blues Bar for a little jam session at open mic night last Saturday. It was a crazy good time for me. Not only did I get to listen to some really great artists, but I got to test out my improvisational skills in a fairly low-pressure environment. It was definitely novel playing with poor posture, not having to analyze all 500 aspects of my technique at once and not having to worry about certain Romanian violin teachers screaming that I have no personality on my violin. I must say, I'm a fan. Although Damien and I agreed we didn't play our best we had a really good time, and it inspired me to perhaps do something similar in the States.
4. Frisbee in Hyde Park - Yup, all you doubters. Lauren played frisbee. Twice. And threw out her arm. Ah well. Having never really played before I was a bit nervous, but it is actually quite a fun game! And I found that I can throw equally as well with my left hand as with my right, which is to say, not well at all. When we got tired of frisbee we played a game of tag until we were so exhausted that we collapsed on the grass. It was another truly spectacular day and we enjoyed the warmth of the sun, and the embrace of the breeze. I must say, I'm beginning to understand why the British always talk about the weather. When it's nice out, it is such a rare occurrence that one can't help but to remark with great joy on the beauty of the day. When the weather is terrible, people feel inclined to mumble their complaints. So you see, this one socially-acceptable subject actually does make sense.
5. The British Library - On my way to said library I was accosted by the St. George's Day Parade (the patron saint of England) in the City of London. It was quite fun with the various regiments represented (and swoon-worthy!) and various lords and ladies attired in medieval clothing. I honestly don't know how they managed to get full-grown men into tunics, tights and armor, but they bore the humiliation well. Once safely ensconced in the library, I was in heaven! Gosh, I don't even know where to begin. Well, for starters, they had a new exhibition up about Chopin and among various items of interest were his death mask and a cast made of his hand. You will not believe this but his hands were as small as mine! They were tiny! As if to make up for their size, his nose exceeded all other noses in length...accept, perhaps, for Pinocchio. Among the musical manuscripts I viewed were works by Beethoven, Mozart, Vaughan Williams, Handel and the Beatles! The Beatles exhibit was especially groovy as they had assorted pieces of paper that John and Paul had scribbled their lyrics onto. I believe it was Ticket to Ride that John had composed on the back of Julian's one year birthday card. I began forcibly freaking out when I viewed the first published folio of Shakespeare's work, his supposed handwriting, an un-published story by a young Jane Austen, and Charlotte Bronte's early writings. To view their original script, and the books in which they wrote, to actually read (with difficulty) the very words which they had, themselves, penned was absolutely incredible. There was no shortage of treasures at the British Library, but with regret, I had to tear myself away after three hours.
As aforementioned, in a few hours time I will be embarking on the first leg of my adventure, Paris. While rather apprehensive about the language barrier, I was assured by a lovely couple in a pub the other night, that the French absolutely adore Americans. Having heard the contrary all my life, I suppose I shall just have to discover this for myself.
Posts will be as sporadic as they have been the past few weeks as internet access will be scarce. However, I will do my best to convey my adventures in a timely fashion.
Au revoir,
Lauren
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Edinburgh
So this past weekend, Lauren and I took the beautiful train ride up to Scotland and wandered about Edinburgh for a few days. The weather was absolutely gorgeous the entire time we were there. We went on a walking tour shortly after we arrived. I've decided that although this is a very touristy thing to do, it also extremely smart. We took one in Barcelona too and I also really liked that one. It is a great way to learn about the city you are staying in and both times I've done it, I've learned so much I never would have known otherwise. Plus, you know, they were free tours. Anyway, our tour guide was this Scottish guy about our age who was born and raised in Edinburgh and clearly knew a lot and really enjoyed telling us about it. He was very humorous. So we learned about how the Scottish hated the past English monarchs and how they took over Scotland anyway; we saw where Scottish people get knighted (including Sean Connery); we saw the cafe where JK Rowling started writing Harry Potter and the school that was the inspiration for Hogwarts; and once again heard why the Scottish hate the English. Honestly, they have good reason for it. The tour provided Lauren and me a good list of places we wanted to visit over the weekend.
On Saturday, we were going to go on a tour of the highlands of Scotland that would have been about 12 hours of being in a van, but seeing all of the countryside and lakes and stuff. However, the driver was not nice when he heard that Lauren has problems with motion sickness. She had taken some medicine for it, but we could tell that he was not at all sympathetic and he basically talked us out of it. Although it probably would have been cool, I'm glad we didn't go because it was such a beautiful day, that it would have sucked being in a van hurdling along twisty roads for the entire day. Lauren and I had a much more relaxing day, but still packed full. We wandered around the city for awhile enjoying the sun. Edinburgh is not as big as I thought it was going to be and it was easy to figure out where we were. Especially because there is this giant castle right in the middle of the city that makes a pretty nice landmark. I now understand where Peter Jackson got the inspiration for Rohan because it honestly looks like it: a giant castle perched precariously upon a huge rocky, hill. Well, technically it is a dormant volcano. Anyway, Lauren and I paid the ridiculously overpriced ticket to go in and look around. We saw the crown jewels of the Scottish kings and the Stone of Destiny. The Stone of Destiny has some good stories around it, so I will tell you about it. It is also known as the Coronation stone and the English stole it during the reign of Edward the Conqueror cause, you know, he liked to conquer. Anyway, the Scottish have always wanted it back, even though England and Scotland are now under the same monarch and the stone is placed under the throne any time a new monarch is crowned. So of course, some college kids in the 50s decided to steal it out of Westminster Abbey and believe it or not, they did it. They broke it, but they managed to get it into two Ford Anglias and across to Scotland. They ended up turning themselves in but couldn't be prosecuted for stealing because, get this, the court couldn't prove who owned it because England had stolen it originally. Ha. Irony. Anyway, Scotland got it back in 1996 when the Conservative government was trying to win the Scottish vote. It didn't work as Blair and his Labour government ended up giving them their own Parliament which was more appealing than the stone, but they got that too.
After that, we went to The Elephant House which is the cafe where JK Rowling started 
writing Harry Potter. She lived right above it and from the window you can see both the castle, but also this school that is pictured. The four turrets are supposedly the inspiration for the four houses of Hogwarts. There is also a graveyard behind the cafe and there are several names on gravestones that JK borrowed for her books including Potter, McGonagall (who was actually a really, really bad Scottish poet), Moodie, and, our favorite, Thomas Riddell (spelled differently, but still!). It was really fun wandering around the graveyard examining each one trying to find the names.
On Saturday, we were going to go on a tour of the highlands of Scotland that would have been about 12 hours of being in a van, but seeing all of the countryside and lakes and stuff. However, the driver was not nice when he heard that Lauren has problems with motion sickness. She had taken some medicine for it, but we could tell that he was not at all sympathetic and he basically talked us out of it. Although it probably would have been cool, I'm glad we didn't go because it was such a beautiful day, that it would have sucked being in a van hurdling along twisty roads for the entire day. Lauren and I had a much more relaxing day, but still packed full. We wandered around the city for awhile enjoying the sun. Edinburgh is not as big as I thought it was going to be and it was easy to figure out where we were. Especially because there is this giant castle right in the middle of the city that makes a pretty nice landmark. I now understand where Peter Jackson got the inspiration for Rohan because it honestly looks like it: a giant castle perched precariously upon a huge rocky, hill. Well, technically it is a dormant volcano. Anyway, Lauren and I paid the ridiculously overpriced ticket to go in and look around. We saw the crown jewels of the Scottish kings and the Stone of Destiny. The Stone of Destiny has some good stories around it, so I will tell you about it. It is also known as the Coronation stone and the English stole it during the reign of Edward the Conqueror cause, you know, he liked to conquer. Anyway, the Scottish have always wanted it back, even though England and Scotland are now under the same monarch and the stone is placed under the throne any time a new monarch is crowned. So of course, some college kids in the 50s decided to steal it out of Westminster Abbey and believe it or not, they did it. They broke it, but they managed to get it into two Ford Anglias and across to Scotland. They ended up turning themselves in but couldn't be prosecuted for stealing because, get this, the court couldn't prove who owned it because England had stolen it originally. Ha. Irony. Anyway, Scotland got it back in 1996 when the Conservative government was trying to win the Scottish vote. It didn't work as Blair and his Labour government ended up giving them their own Parliament which was more appealing than the stone, but they got that too.After that, we went to The Elephant House which is the cafe where JK Rowling started 
writing Harry Potter. She lived right above it and from the window you can see both the castle, but also this school that is pictured. The four turrets are supposedly the inspiration for the four houses of Hogwarts. There is also a graveyard behind the cafe and there are several names on gravestones that JK borrowed for her books including Potter, McGonagall (who was actually a really, really bad Scottish poet), Moodie, and, our favorite, Thomas Riddell (spelled differently, but still!). It was really fun wandering around the graveyard examining each one trying to find the names.
We also hit up two museums: the Writers' Museum and the National Art Gallery. The Writers' Museum is dedicated to the great writers of Scotland: Sir Walter Scott, Robert Louis Stevenson, and Robert Burns. Honestly, it wasn't the best museum I've ever been too, but still interesting as I didn't know a lot about any of the writers. The National Art Gallery was really good though. They had a great collection with a lot of Titian (who I especially love) but also a nice array of Impressionist paintings.
Overall, I liked Edinburgh, but it wasn't my favorite city ever. I definitely like London better and we are all getting extremely sad that we have less than two weeks left. However, Lauren and I have our Europe trip almost completely planned out and booked, and I'm so glad that I'll be coming back here this summer for my internship.
Monday, April 5, 2010
The Bane of the Bard
Poor, poor Will. Shakespeare, that is. He would have committed a highly dramatic and eloquent suicide if he had watched the Royal Shakespeare Company's production of Romeo and Juliet.
But let me start at the beginning.
Saturday last, Shannon, Alex and I journeyed forth to Stratford-Upon-Avon, which is known for being the home of one William Shakespeare. Upon arrival, we found our way from the train station, through the quaint town and down to the River Avon. As I walked through the village I truly felt that I was on the set of Shakespeare In Love...only there was no Bard hottie with a six pack rushing manically around. It appeared that some of the architecture from the 1500s still stands, adding to the antiquated air present in town. After reaching the end of the cobble-stoned street, we intrepid explorers started off onto the muddy path along the Avon. Many pictures were taken, ancient houses with miniscule doors were cooed over and a general sense of excitement pervaded the party. It must be said that Stratford is among the more cozy and homey villages I have visited thus far, and with the budding trees, the infant flowers, and the quaint vistas it seemed a charming locale in which to live. Never fear, dear reader - I promise not to set root there! Well...not yet.
But, I digress. As I was saying, we adventurous lot made our way down the Avon and ended up at the church in which darling Will's bones lie. Apparently the playwrite gave specific instructions against his bones being moved to Westminster Abbey...they were carved in his tombstone and were something to the effect of, "Whomsoever moves my bones shall be cursed." Ok, it was far more eloquent than that, and I do believe it rhymed...but that was the main sentiment expressed. Later, we walked back to town and saw Shakespeare's house, and the school he attended...needless to say there was much uncontained excitement in the form of clasped hands, gasps of delight and prancing in the streets.
And now most loyal reader, we reach the low point, the disaster, the eye-gouging pain if you will. A little background into the Views of Lauren would indicate an impatience for Romeo and Juliet in the first place. Romeo's emo and childish behavior as well as his fickle personality make me hard pressed to take him seriously or become emotionally attached to his well-being. While less annoying than her male counterpart, Juliet is the epitome of a naive teenager. Not only does she decide it would be a good idea to marry a boy a couple hours after making his acquaintance, but she adds to this stupidity by taking a roofie from a priest. Ummm....Juliet....darling? I know teenagers are supposed to make stupid mistakes, but yours are...well...they're fatal, now aren't they?
Despite my cynical views on "the greatest love story ever", I sat down in my seat expecting to see a great performance. My dahlings, it was horrendous. While some of the actors were truly abominable, I believe most of the performers would have done better had the direction been anywhere close to decent. At one point, the director felt it necessary to have the messenger sing his lines to Romeo in an extremely high and out of tune falsetto. Why, you ask? I don't know. I just don't know. After the initial shock wore off, I found it necessary to stuff my fist in my mouth to keep from loudly guffawing. As it was I was forcibly shaking with laughter. Now it wasn't going to do at all that the messenger should sing only once; oh no! He was called upon to do so again during the death scene. I must say that I never before envied Romeo and Juliet their deaths, but at that moment, I was a bit jealous.
Speaking of the deaths, they were so awkward I didn't know whether to cry with mortification or laugh outright. Alas, it did bring tears to my eyes, but for all the wrong reasons. Romeo felt compelled to drink his pint (yes, pint) of poison out of a water bottle that took a great while for him to chug - it rather ruined the intensity of the moment. He then proclaimed, "Thus, with a kiss, I die!" but he didn't kiss Juliet. Apparently the director felt that the need to match words with their indicated action was overrated and unnecessary. A brave choice on his part I must say. Then Juliet, not to be outdone, gave three long, piercing screams that ended with a gurgle as she stabbed herself, and collapsed in a truly Acting 101 fashion.
In conclusion, when a play is three hours long, and you catch yourself looking at your watch every two minutes, you come to realize that it doesn't hold much merit. Poor, dear Will. What did he do to deserve his art being butchered thus?
Tomorrow I am going to get massacred at my violin lesson so if you hear from me no more, it is because I have died a truly gruesome death - most likely by being impaled several times with my bow. If I survive, I'll regale you with my adventures in Edinburgh in my next post.
Anon!
Lauren
But let me start at the beginning.
Saturday last, Shannon, Alex and I journeyed forth to Stratford-Upon-Avon, which is known for being the home of one William Shakespeare. Upon arrival, we found our way from the train station, through the quaint town and down to the River Avon. As I walked through the village I truly felt that I was on the set of Shakespeare In Love...only there was no Bard hottie with a six pack rushing manically around. It appeared that some of the architecture from the 1500s still stands, adding to the antiquated air present in town. After reaching the end of the cobble-stoned street, we intrepid explorers started off onto the muddy path along the Avon. Many pictures were taken, ancient houses with miniscule doors were cooed over and a general sense of excitement pervaded the party. It must be said that Stratford is among the more cozy and homey villages I have visited thus far, and with the budding trees, the infant flowers, and the quaint vistas it seemed a charming locale in which to live. Never fear, dear reader - I promise not to set root there! Well...not yet.
But, I digress. As I was saying, we adventurous lot made our way down the Avon and ended up at the church in which darling Will's bones lie. Apparently the playwrite gave specific instructions against his bones being moved to Westminster Abbey...they were carved in his tombstone and were something to the effect of, "Whomsoever moves my bones shall be cursed." Ok, it was far more eloquent than that, and I do believe it rhymed...but that was the main sentiment expressed. Later, we walked back to town and saw Shakespeare's house, and the school he attended...needless to say there was much uncontained excitement in the form of clasped hands, gasps of delight and prancing in the streets.
And now most loyal reader, we reach the low point, the disaster, the eye-gouging pain if you will. A little background into the Views of Lauren would indicate an impatience for Romeo and Juliet in the first place. Romeo's emo and childish behavior as well as his fickle personality make me hard pressed to take him seriously or become emotionally attached to his well-being. While less annoying than her male counterpart, Juliet is the epitome of a naive teenager. Not only does she decide it would be a good idea to marry a boy a couple hours after making his acquaintance, but she adds to this stupidity by taking a roofie from a priest. Ummm....Juliet....darling? I know teenagers are supposed to make stupid mistakes, but yours are...well...they're fatal, now aren't they?
Despite my cynical views on "the greatest love story ever", I sat down in my seat expecting to see a great performance. My dahlings, it was horrendous. While some of the actors were truly abominable, I believe most of the performers would have done better had the direction been anywhere close to decent. At one point, the director felt it necessary to have the messenger sing his lines to Romeo in an extremely high and out of tune falsetto. Why, you ask? I don't know. I just don't know. After the initial shock wore off, I found it necessary to stuff my fist in my mouth to keep from loudly guffawing. As it was I was forcibly shaking with laughter. Now it wasn't going to do at all that the messenger should sing only once; oh no! He was called upon to do so again during the death scene. I must say that I never before envied Romeo and Juliet their deaths, but at that moment, I was a bit jealous.
Speaking of the deaths, they were so awkward I didn't know whether to cry with mortification or laugh outright. Alas, it did bring tears to my eyes, but for all the wrong reasons. Romeo felt compelled to drink his pint (yes, pint) of poison out of a water bottle that took a great while for him to chug - it rather ruined the intensity of the moment. He then proclaimed, "Thus, with a kiss, I die!" but he didn't kiss Juliet. Apparently the director felt that the need to match words with their indicated action was overrated and unnecessary. A brave choice on his part I must say. Then Juliet, not to be outdone, gave three long, piercing screams that ended with a gurgle as she stabbed herself, and collapsed in a truly Acting 101 fashion.
In conclusion, when a play is three hours long, and you catch yourself looking at your watch every two minutes, you come to realize that it doesn't hold much merit. Poor, dear Will. What did he do to deserve his art being butchered thus?
Tomorrow I am going to get massacred at my violin lesson so if you hear from me no more, it is because I have died a truly gruesome death - most likely by being impaled several times with my bow. If I survive, I'll regale you with my adventures in Edinburgh in my next post.
Anon!
Lauren
The Good, the Bad, and the Really, Really Ugly
The Good
So here is a catch up of what I did this past weekend divided into how much I liked each thing. On Thursday, our history class went to St. Paul's Cathedral. Amazing. It is so beautiful inside that I was just blown away. I also climbed to the top and got a good view of the city. Then, on Friday, my friend Alex, her friend Helen, and I got up early and went to stand in line for a Van Gogh exhibition. You heard correctly. We got up at 8 am so we could get to the Royal Academy of Arts and get in line for a ticket office that opened at 10 am. Now who says young people aren't cultured? We got there at 8:45 and were the fourth group in line. By 10 o'clock, there were at least 100 people standing in line. So we got in right away and went through the exhibition which featured many of Van Gogh's paintings, but also his letters that he wrote to his brother and his artist friends. It was a really good exhibition and I'm really glad we stood in line for it. After that, we went to Fortnum and Mason and I got a chocolate cupcake that was pretty good. We then went for lunch at a pub called Ye Grapes. Now, here's a fun fact about pubs in London: the newest and most posh thing for them to do is to have a Thai restaurant within their pub. I've been to a pub near my flat called The Churchill Arms a few times for Thai food, but we'd heard this place was better, so w decided to check it out. It was good, but not as good as the Churchill. Finally, Alex and I went to the Wallace Collection. It is a private collection of art in a fancy house. Rococo art plus a beautiful, well-furnished old house equals perfection in my eyes. It was a really cool collection.
The Bad
The weather here has been cold and rainy and we are about ready to kill anybody who tells us that it is 70 and sunny in the Midwest.
The Really, Really Ugly
On Saturday, Lauren, Alex, and I went to Stratford-upon-Avon, the birthplace of Shakespeare. The town itself wasn't bad at all; we got some really good food and cake at the market, but we timed it wrong. We wanted to see a play of course, but to see an evening show means staying the night as there is no train that late at night. However, since it was Easter weekend, no one was booking for just one night. So we saw the matinee of Romeo and Juliet (which I will get to). This meant that the play was from 1-4:15 so by the time it was over, most of the attractions and stores and such were closed. We did see Shakespeare's grave and the outside of his house where he was born, but that was kind of it.
Now, the play. I don't even know where to start except to say it was just awful. I was so disappointed because I'd really been hoping that the Royal Shakespeare Company's version of Romeo and Juliet was going to be awesome. Unfortunately because they are so famous, I think they are expected to try new things and new concepts which is fair because if the RSC performed Romeo and Juliet the same way as it has always been played, they would probably get a lot of crap for it. Instead, they tried something new and I'm going to give it a crap review. It wasn't one of those plays where you could say, "Well, if only Romeo had been a bit better it would have been okay," EVERYTHING was wrong and bad. The directing, the costumes, the staging, and the acting. I don't think any of the lines were cut, not even speeches that are traditionally cut, so the play was really long. The director decided to put Romeo and Juliet in modern day dress (jeans, sweatshirts, and Converse) while everyone else was in Elizabethan attire. Lauren, Alex, and I put our heads together about this and decided that the director was going for a "they were ahead of their time" thing because at the end, everyone comes out in modern clothes. So everyone around R&J was so stuck in their ways that they seemed Elizabethan while R&J's love was modern. Right, because a 14 year old girl marrying some twenty-something year old would be totally accepted now a days. Please. Anyway, the acting was not good either. R&J barely looked at each other when they were talking to one another, let alone touch. Benvolio, Romeo's best friend, was one of the worst actors I've seen. And Mercutio. Oh my God, I don't even know what to say about him. To be fair, it was mostly the director's fault, because they decided to take him in a really perverse direction. Mercutio is the comedy in the play and is known for making some not very discreet speeches about love and sex. There was NOTHING discreet about his speeches in this version. I won't describe to you what he did because I do not wish to scar any of you and to be honest, I was cringing and not watching half of it and really really hoping that the young children in the audience were not getting it at all. Mercutio is one of the best parts of R&J for me, but in this version, I was literally thinking "Thank God he dies soon." The only redeeming factor was that the Friar and the Prince were both pretty good, but they have relatively small parts. So, really disappointing. :(
So here is a catch up of what I did this past weekend divided into how much I liked each thing. On Thursday, our history class went to St. Paul's Cathedral. Amazing. It is so beautiful inside that I was just blown away. I also climbed to the top and got a good view of the city. Then, on Friday, my friend Alex, her friend Helen, and I got up early and went to stand in line for a Van Gogh exhibition. You heard correctly. We got up at 8 am so we could get to the Royal Academy of Arts and get in line for a ticket office that opened at 10 am. Now who says young people aren't cultured? We got there at 8:45 and were the fourth group in line. By 10 o'clock, there were at least 100 people standing in line. So we got in right away and went through the exhibition which featured many of Van Gogh's paintings, but also his letters that he wrote to his brother and his artist friends. It was a really good exhibition and I'm really glad we stood in line for it. After that, we went to Fortnum and Mason and I got a chocolate cupcake that was pretty good. We then went for lunch at a pub called Ye Grapes. Now, here's a fun fact about pubs in London: the newest and most posh thing for them to do is to have a Thai restaurant within their pub. I've been to a pub near my flat called The Churchill Arms a few times for Thai food, but we'd heard this place was better, so w decided to check it out. It was good, but not as good as the Churchill. Finally, Alex and I went to the Wallace Collection. It is a private collection of art in a fancy house. Rococo art plus a beautiful, well-furnished old house equals perfection in my eyes. It was a really cool collection.
The Bad
The weather here has been cold and rainy and we are about ready to kill anybody who tells us that it is 70 and sunny in the Midwest.
The Really, Really Ugly
On Saturday, Lauren, Alex, and I went to Stratford-upon-Avon, the birthplace of Shakespeare. The town itself wasn't bad at all; we got some really good food and cake at the market, but we timed it wrong. We wanted to see a play of course, but to see an evening show means staying the night as there is no train that late at night. However, since it was Easter weekend, no one was booking for just one night. So we saw the matinee of Romeo and Juliet (which I will get to). This meant that the play was from 1-4:15 so by the time it was over, most of the attractions and stores and such were closed. We did see Shakespeare's grave and the outside of his house where he was born, but that was kind of it.
Now, the play. I don't even know where to start except to say it was just awful. I was so disappointed because I'd really been hoping that the Royal Shakespeare Company's version of Romeo and Juliet was going to be awesome. Unfortunately because they are so famous, I think they are expected to try new things and new concepts which is fair because if the RSC performed Romeo and Juliet the same way as it has always been played, they would probably get a lot of crap for it. Instead, they tried something new and I'm going to give it a crap review. It wasn't one of those plays where you could say, "Well, if only Romeo had been a bit better it would have been okay," EVERYTHING was wrong and bad. The directing, the costumes, the staging, and the acting. I don't think any of the lines were cut, not even speeches that are traditionally cut, so the play was really long. The director decided to put Romeo and Juliet in modern day dress (jeans, sweatshirts, and Converse) while everyone else was in Elizabethan attire. Lauren, Alex, and I put our heads together about this and decided that the director was going for a "they were ahead of their time" thing because at the end, everyone comes out in modern clothes. So everyone around R&J was so stuck in their ways that they seemed Elizabethan while R&J's love was modern. Right, because a 14 year old girl marrying some twenty-something year old would be totally accepted now a days. Please. Anyway, the acting was not good either. R&J barely looked at each other when they were talking to one another, let alone touch. Benvolio, Romeo's best friend, was one of the worst actors I've seen. And Mercutio. Oh my God, I don't even know what to say about him. To be fair, it was mostly the director's fault, because they decided to take him in a really perverse direction. Mercutio is the comedy in the play and is known for making some not very discreet speeches about love and sex. There was NOTHING discreet about his speeches in this version. I won't describe to you what he did because I do not wish to scar any of you and to be honest, I was cringing and not watching half of it and really really hoping that the young children in the audience were not getting it at all. Mercutio is one of the best parts of R&J for me, but in this version, I was literally thinking "Thank God he dies soon." The only redeeming factor was that the Friar and the Prince were both pretty good, but they have relatively small parts. So, really disappointing. :(
one experience with the NHS
So I've been sick recently, and decided that I did not care to be so for the remaining 3 weeks of the semester. I went to the local walk-in clinic to get some answers, and hopefully some really good drugs.
After getting really lost, I ended up waiting for my nurse for about half an hour. He was nice, though a bit harried. He took my information really quickly, and sent me back to the waiting room. After waiting for another half hour or so, the doctor called me in. He asked a lot of questions, and did a basic examination. I thought that, given the amount of time and the number of patients he had, he was very thorough and did not try to rush me out. He ended up giving me a prescription, which could be filled at any chemist's.
Getting my medicine was really easy. There is a Boots (which is like a Walgreens) on most every street, and I walked to the nearest one and showed my prescription. The guy said I didn't need the exact number on the prescription, and I could have more or less depending on how much I wanted to spend and how bad I thought my pain was. Getting my drugs was really easy, and I get the feeling that if you know what you need, you talk to the chemist and they will give it to you. Obviously the good stuff (Vicodin and whatnot) is much more controlled, but for really basic things, it's really straightforward. It's a nice change from "you get three months of pills every three months. It's only been 2 months 3 weeks, so no pills for you".
Overall, I had to pay for the Tube ride there and back, and my pills. No copays, no insurance cards, no anxiety that I'll have to forgo groceries. I liked dealing with the NHS, for sure.
After getting really lost, I ended up waiting for my nurse for about half an hour. He was nice, though a bit harried. He took my information really quickly, and sent me back to the waiting room. After waiting for another half hour or so, the doctor called me in. He asked a lot of questions, and did a basic examination. I thought that, given the amount of time and the number of patients he had, he was very thorough and did not try to rush me out. He ended up giving me a prescription, which could be filled at any chemist's.
Getting my medicine was really easy. There is a Boots (which is like a Walgreens) on most every street, and I walked to the nearest one and showed my prescription. The guy said I didn't need the exact number on the prescription, and I could have more or less depending on how much I wanted to spend and how bad I thought my pain was. Getting my drugs was really easy, and I get the feeling that if you know what you need, you talk to the chemist and they will give it to you. Obviously the good stuff (Vicodin and whatnot) is much more controlled, but for really basic things, it's really straightforward. It's a nice change from "you get three months of pills every three months. It's only been 2 months 3 weeks, so no pills for you".
Overall, I had to pay for the Tube ride there and back, and my pills. No copays, no insurance cards, no anxiety that I'll have to forgo groceries. I liked dealing with the NHS, for sure.
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Insert witty title here
Belated Birthday shout out to my brother! In true Anastos style, expect a really belated birthday card.
Last week was glorious as my parents were visiting. This meant not only staving off the ever present homesickness for a few days and enjoying family time, but also eating REAL food and touring historical edifices for free! Thanks parental unit! Amongst the many places we visited were the Tower of London and Westminster Abbey. Description time:
The Tower of London: As my mom stated, "I feel like I'm in a BBC film." So true, mumsie. Walking in a place that was entrenched in so much history, literally standing where famous figures such as Anne Boleyn had stood was unreal. Unlike most girls, my most exciting experience came not upon viewing the crown jewels, but on entering Lady Jane Gray's cell. After freaking out quite audibly (to the consternation of those around me), I was able to calm down enough to notice the etchings and carvings on the walls. Supporters of Lady Jane had pledged their allegiance to her even after she was executed. So there I was, standing where Lady Jane Gray had stood, looking at people's testimonials from 500 years ago, and imagining the fright she must have experienced in the dim, cold cell. Reader, it was unreal.
Westminster Abbey: Way cool place with way cool dead people buried there. Ok, I'll be more specific. So, I kinda, sorta saw the tomb of most of the Tudors, the Edwards, Richard the III (!!!!!) and, you know, Queen Elizabeth and Queen Mary. The last two were hilarious really because enemies in life, they would not be pleased with their current burial arrangements. They are buried one on top of the other - that is Elizabeth on top of Mary (bite it, Mary!), all sisterly and whatnot. Oh, the irony! Poet's corner, a section dedicated solely to authors was also quite to my taste (Chaucer is buried there!), as was the music section where Handel's body now lies.
Oh, silly me! I haven't actually given you a description of the abbey, have I? Dear me. Well, look it up, google image it, check out a picture book because all I can say is that it's magnificent.
Friday I went to Bath where I fulfilled my Jane Austen inspired dream of going to the Roman Baths, the Pump and Assembly Rooms and walking along the Royal Crescent. These specific places are mentioned in two of her novels: Northanger Abbey and Persuasion. Interestingly enough, Northanger Abbey, her first novel, presents Bath in a very positive light, yet after living there herself, Austen depicts it in a negative tone in Persuasion. Huh. I myself have mixed feelings about Bath and need to further sort them out. In a fit of bravery I even "took the water" - a nasty, metallic water that bubbles up from the Earth's core. Although it contains 43 minerals including calcium and iron, I didn't fancy it much.
In other news I just finished two papers on which I procrastinated a ridiculous amount. In London everyone has the mentality of, "Papers? Homework? What's that? Library? Studying? Huh?" Clearly, this is not conducive to getting things done, let alone putting a lot of effort into work. Thus, I have speed-written some pretty mediocre bullshit this past week. C'est la vie.
Love you, Lovers!
Lauren
Last week was glorious as my parents were visiting. This meant not only staving off the ever present homesickness for a few days and enjoying family time, but also eating REAL food and touring historical edifices for free! Thanks parental unit! Amongst the many places we visited were the Tower of London and Westminster Abbey. Description time:
The Tower of London: As my mom stated, "I feel like I'm in a BBC film." So true, mumsie. Walking in a place that was entrenched in so much history, literally standing where famous figures such as Anne Boleyn had stood was unreal. Unlike most girls, my most exciting experience came not upon viewing the crown jewels, but on entering Lady Jane Gray's cell. After freaking out quite audibly (to the consternation of those around me), I was able to calm down enough to notice the etchings and carvings on the walls. Supporters of Lady Jane had pledged their allegiance to her even after she was executed. So there I was, standing where Lady Jane Gray had stood, looking at people's testimonials from 500 years ago, and imagining the fright she must have experienced in the dim, cold cell. Reader, it was unreal.
Westminster Abbey: Way cool place with way cool dead people buried there. Ok, I'll be more specific. So, I kinda, sorta saw the tomb of most of the Tudors, the Edwards, Richard the III (!!!!!) and, you know, Queen Elizabeth and Queen Mary. The last two were hilarious really because enemies in life, they would not be pleased with their current burial arrangements. They are buried one on top of the other - that is Elizabeth on top of Mary (bite it, Mary!), all sisterly and whatnot. Oh, the irony! Poet's corner, a section dedicated solely to authors was also quite to my taste (Chaucer is buried there!), as was the music section where Handel's body now lies.
Oh, silly me! I haven't actually given you a description of the abbey, have I? Dear me. Well, look it up, google image it, check out a picture book because all I can say is that it's magnificent.
Friday I went to Bath where I fulfilled my Jane Austen inspired dream of going to the Roman Baths, the Pump and Assembly Rooms and walking along the Royal Crescent. These specific places are mentioned in two of her novels: Northanger Abbey and Persuasion. Interestingly enough, Northanger Abbey, her first novel, presents Bath in a very positive light, yet after living there herself, Austen depicts it in a negative tone in Persuasion. Huh. I myself have mixed feelings about Bath and need to further sort them out. In a fit of bravery I even "took the water" - a nasty, metallic water that bubbles up from the Earth's core. Although it contains 43 minerals including calcium and iron, I didn't fancy it much.
In other news I just finished two papers on which I procrastinated a ridiculous amount. In London everyone has the mentality of, "Papers? Homework? What's that? Library? Studying? Huh?" Clearly, this is not conducive to getting things done, let alone putting a lot of effort into work. Thus, I have speed-written some pretty mediocre bullshit this past week. C'est la vie.
Love you, Lovers!
Lauren
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Saturday
I've been sick on and off, which is why I haven't blogged in a while - I've basically been a bump on a log. However, today I ventured outside the apartment for a considerable length of time.
First, I went to the Globe gift shop. It's a lovely place with many amazing things.
For future reference, I should never be allowed in there again - or at least not with a credit card.
I also went to St. Paul's Cathedral - you know, the big one - and walked around a bit. To be honest, I didn't have the greatest time.
Part of it was I didn't have a tour guide or anyone telling me about the amazing things I was looking at, so my experience boiled down to, "Gee, that's pretty".
Part of it was I was dumb enough to go on a Saturday, when all the tourists are out. It was busy, and everyone was noisy.
Part of it was that people were taking pictures (which they asked us not to do) and being loud, and there was some screaming, which seems disrespectful to me. So I was crabby.
But mainly, it was because I heard the guy in front of me talking about how there were so many Catholics (I didn't know Catholicism was that obvious), and that Catholics shouldn't be allowed in St. Paul's because it's an Anglican church. So that colored the entire experience.
Really, St. Paul's was beautiful, and if I had had a tour guide and a non-jerky guy in front of me, I would have had a fabulous time.
And the Globe gift shop was really incredible.
First, I went to the Globe gift shop. It's a lovely place with many amazing things.
For future reference, I should never be allowed in there again - or at least not with a credit card.
I also went to St. Paul's Cathedral - you know, the big one - and walked around a bit. To be honest, I didn't have the greatest time.
Part of it was I didn't have a tour guide or anyone telling me about the amazing things I was looking at, so my experience boiled down to, "Gee, that's pretty".
Part of it was I was dumb enough to go on a Saturday, when all the tourists are out. It was busy, and everyone was noisy.
Part of it was that people were taking pictures (which they asked us not to do) and being loud, and there was some screaming, which seems disrespectful to me. So I was crabby.
But mainly, it was because I heard the guy in front of me talking about how there were so many Catholics (I didn't know Catholicism was that obvious), and that Catholics shouldn't be allowed in St. Paul's because it's an Anglican church. So that colored the entire experience.
Really, St. Paul's was beautiful, and if I had had a tour guide and a non-jerky guy in front of me, I would have had a fabulous time.
And the Globe gift shop was really incredible.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
So, are you sick of hearing about the plays I went to and the famous people I've been meeting? If you are....I'd skip this blog post because last night Maggie and I went to see Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. It was an all star cast (who I'll get to) and directed by Debbie Allen, who chose to make it an all black cast which I thought completely worked. I knew nothing about the play but it is about a family in the South who has come home to celebrate Big Daddy's birthday. However, everyone except Big Daddy and Big Mama know that Big Daddy is dying of cancer. Anyway, as it is Tennessee Williams, who I am convinced never believed that any sort of relationship could work or be healthy, the ending was unhappy and ambiguous. But the performances were fantastic. Adrian Lester played Brick, one of Big Daddy's sons. I know him from the TV show Hustle and two Kenneth Branaugh Shakespeare movies and I'm a huge fan of his, so it was really cool to see him. But the best performance of the night, no question, was Big Daddy who was played by James Earl Jones. Now, you think his voice is impressive as Darth Vader, but can you imagine how c
ool it is in a live theatre? Needless to say, it carries extremely well. He was fantastic and extremely funny (he even made Adrian Lester laugh when he wasn't supposed to, which just made the audience laugh even more). Of course, Maggie and I waited by the stage door after the show. Adrian Lester was really nice and talked with us for a littl
e while and of course, we both got pictures with him. James Earl Jones only did autographs, no pictures. I was pretty disgusted with the people waiting with us because they had all brought pictures of Darth Vader for him to sign. However, it made him like me when I came up with my program. Okay, I know this is nerdy, but I had a really cool conversation with him and the best way to do it is this way:
Me: Hi. (Hand him program)
ool it is in a live theatre? Needless to say, it carries extremely well. He was fantastic and extremely funny (he even made Adrian Lester laugh when he wasn't supposed to, which just made the audience laugh even more). Of course, Maggie and I waited by the stage door after the show. Adrian Lester was really nice and talked with us for a littl
e while and of course, we both got pictures with him. James Earl Jones only did autographs, no pictures. I was pretty disgusted with the people waiting with us because they had all brought pictures of Darth Vader for him to sign. However, it made him like me when I came up with my program. Okay, I know this is nerdy, but I had a really cool conversation with him and the best way to do it is this way:Me: Hi. (Hand him program)
James Earl Jones (JEJ): Hello. Oh, you actually saw the show!
Me: Yes, of course. It was really good and I really enjoyed it.
JEJ: Good. Where are you from?
Me: The U.S.
JEJ: New York?
Me: No, Minnesota.
JEJ: Are you a student here?
Me: Yes.
JEJ: And are you studying theatre?
Me (Laughing a little): No, I wish. I'm actually studying English Literature.
JEJ: That's even better! It'll broaden your horizons. (Hands back program). Thank you for coming.
Me: Thank you!
So, as I said, sorry for being nerdy and doing the word by word conversation, but when James Earl Jones tells you that being an English Literature major is cool, you kinda have to brag a little. Now I have a fantastic response if anyone ever asks me why I would want to be an English major. I'll simply tell them that James Earl Jones told me it would broaden my horizons. :)
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Tricky Linguistics
So we went to see Stonehenge. And, according to my British mates, I pronounce it incorrectly. Apparently Americans say STONEhenge, with the emphasis on "stone", whereas Brits say stoneHENGE. As Ziggy said, "It's a henge made up of stone, not a stone made up of henge."
Right. I'm stupid. I can't pronounce words correctly. Even my violin teacher with his markedly Romanian accent started laughing at my accent last week when I asked the ever-comical question, "what?" According to him American accents are funny. Apparently we say "totally" too much (which I totally don't think is true) and "like" (ok, that one is totally valid). Also, whenever people in drama club are representing a character that is supposed to be ditsy, phony or flaky, they give them an American accent. Similarly, I was told by my director for "Hitchhiker's" that my character Trillian, whom I hve been trying to give a sophisticated, brisk and no-nonsense personality (she IS a neuro-scientist after all) needs to "be more Barbie". Are all Americans viewed as stupid Paris Hilton types? Are we perceived to be imbeciles who bat our eyelashes and say the most mundane and obvious things? I wish that we wouldn't immediately be stereotyped into the Hollywood/media projected image. You know, not this attitude of, "oh she's American - 'Tis pity, she's a whore". Ok, maybe not that strong, but I was channeling John Ford there.
Enough of this. StoneHENGE was amazing! I mean, I didn't get the feeling, but I still like it. You know, that feeling. The one where you are so overcome that you feel if you were to touch the stones you would be transported to an alternate universe where Pagans rule and dancing naked under the full moon is a mandatory ritual. Despite this, the sprawling fields and smell of hay and horses brought me back to Wisconsin. Before going to Salisbury, we stopped at Old Serum where, in a fit of nostalgia for our past childhood, we were allowed to climb up and frolic over the ruins of an old castle. It is absolutely gorgeous there, remote and unreal. I mean, climbing over the ruins of a castle? Not something you do every day. Afterward we drove to Salisbury, which is a cute village-y town known for its Cathedral. While impressive, it wasn't my favorite place of worship that I have viewed thus far. We hit up the market where we were immediately drawn to the pastry and book stalls. Pretty predictable.
Yesterday a few of us went to the site for the 2012 Olympics. While we all know I'm not the biggest sports enthusiast, it was pretty awesome to see the stadium, as well as other unique architecture that will be used for the games. It was a lovely day, Spring is FINALLY here in London, and we took the train to Canary Wharf (an area of London) which reminded me a lot of Chicago. Actually, it was apparently inspired by Chicago architecturally-speaking, complete with huge shopping mall. After hitting up the docklands museum, which was pretty darn groovy we hit up the mall. Thirty minutes later I promptly felt sick (shopping does that to me) and took the tube back to go see some friends at Imperial College in their hilarious production of Noises Off.
And tomorrow my parents will be here! A little slice of home right in London. So excited!
Good-bye for now my dahlings!
Lauren
Right. I'm stupid. I can't pronounce words correctly. Even my violin teacher with his markedly Romanian accent started laughing at my accent last week when I asked the ever-comical question, "what?" According to him American accents are funny. Apparently we say "totally" too much (which I totally don't think is true) and "like" (ok, that one is totally valid). Also, whenever people in drama club are representing a character that is supposed to be ditsy, phony or flaky, they give them an American accent. Similarly, I was told by my director for "Hitchhiker's" that my character Trillian, whom I hve been trying to give a sophisticated, brisk and no-nonsense personality (she IS a neuro-scientist after all) needs to "be more Barbie". Are all Americans viewed as stupid Paris Hilton types? Are we perceived to be imbeciles who bat our eyelashes and say the most mundane and obvious things? I wish that we wouldn't immediately be stereotyped into the Hollywood/media projected image. You know, not this attitude of, "oh she's American - 'Tis pity, she's a whore". Ok, maybe not that strong, but I was channeling John Ford there.
Enough of this. StoneHENGE was amazing! I mean, I didn't get the feeling, but I still like it. You know, that feeling. The one where you are so overcome that you feel if you were to touch the stones you would be transported to an alternate universe where Pagans rule and dancing naked under the full moon is a mandatory ritual. Despite this, the sprawling fields and smell of hay and horses brought me back to Wisconsin. Before going to Salisbury, we stopped at Old Serum where, in a fit of nostalgia for our past childhood, we were allowed to climb up and frolic over the ruins of an old castle. It is absolutely gorgeous there, remote and unreal. I mean, climbing over the ruins of a castle? Not something you do every day. Afterward we drove to Salisbury, which is a cute village-y town known for its Cathedral. While impressive, it wasn't my favorite place of worship that I have viewed thus far. We hit up the market where we were immediately drawn to the pastry and book stalls. Pretty predictable.
Yesterday a few of us went to the site for the 2012 Olympics. While we all know I'm not the biggest sports enthusiast, it was pretty awesome to see the stadium, as well as other unique architecture that will be used for the games. It was a lovely day, Spring is FINALLY here in London, and we took the train to Canary Wharf (an area of London) which reminded me a lot of Chicago. Actually, it was apparently inspired by Chicago architecturally-speaking, complete with huge shopping mall. After hitting up the docklands museum, which was pretty darn groovy we hit up the mall. Thirty minutes later I promptly felt sick (shopping does that to me) and took the tube back to go see some friends at Imperial College in their hilarious production of Noises Off.
And tomorrow my parents will be here! A little slice of home right in London. So excited!
Good-bye for now my dahlings!
Lauren
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Private Lives
Here we go again. I'm hyperventilating....again. Another night, another play, and more famous people. Tonight Lauren and I went to see Private Lives, a play by Noel Coward and starring Kim Cattrall (you may know here from a little show called Sex and the City) and Matthew MacFadyen (the most beautiful and talented actor from Little Dorrit and the newest Mr. Darcy in Pride and Prejudice). Despite being in the absolute last row in the absolute highest balcony, we were at least in the middle and so had a pretty good view...even if they were all a little far away. The play is about Amanda (Cattrall) and Elyot (MacFadyen) who have been divorced 5 years, but run into one another again on their respective honeymoons to their respective new spouses. Comedy and c
haos ensue. The entire cast was very good and it didn't matter at all that we couldn't see them too well because we were the first to be by the stage door after the show. This show had a little bit more of a crowd. Kim Cattrall came out first and signed my program and took a picture with Lauren. She was very nice to all the people waiting and made sure everyone who wanted a photo or autograph got one before she left. Weirdly enough, when she left, 
almost all the fans did too. I didn't understand this at all because I was there to see Matthew MacFadyen. He soon stuck his head out the door and came to sign my program. He was also nice enough to take a picture with me too! Then Lauren and I freaked out because there aren't many more celebrities I would get more excited about than Matthew MacFadyen. Rupert Friend was cool, but he's no Matthew MacFadyen. So, Lauren and I went to celebrate with a fantastic crepe and freaked out some more. It was awesome. :D
Sunday, March 14, 2010
So sorry, here's a lame recap
So sorry for my absence...I blame it on being sick. Yes, this week I got the full experience of the National Healthcare System after going in four times in the span of one week. But really, you don't want to hear about that unpleasantness, and I'd rather not talk about it, so onto nicer subjects, ay?
After Shannon's quite truthful and detailed report of our trip, I feel like any explanation I would give would be repetitive. Hmmmm....how about I just skip the details and give a highly subjective response to the third-grade essay question, "What did you enjoy most about your trip?"
1. THE GOTHIC QUARTER - holy freaking tark! I love the Gothic Quarter. Wandering around the narrow cobble-stoned streets between huge architectural monuments while listening to the seductive Aussie accent of Shawn, our hunky hunky tour guide was amazing! The tour itself was interesting as I learned a lot in a fun and enjoyable manner, but what I loved most about the Gothic Quarter was losing myself in the little alleyways. The only hope to find one's way was to listen for music and follow it. There were street musicians in almost every corner - a music lover's paradise - and there was one band that I'm still kicking myself over because I didn't get the courage to ask them their name. They sang the most beautiful song I have possibly ever heard. Yeah. That's right. It was powerful.
2. LA PLAYA - Due to rain we were unable to have a picnic and build sand castles the way we had planned. However, we were able to walk the beach one night under a New Moon (insert Twilight joke here). One can imagine that this setting was absolutely breathtaking. After walking around we stumbled upon some sand creatures, which turned out to be pirates, mermaids and monkeys (of the see/hear/speak no evil variety). Pure simple joy is what the beach was. (A horrible, grammatically incorrect sentence; I do apologize, but there it is.) Running around, darting from the ominous, cold waves before they could get me, playing in the sand....all good times. And quite therapeutic, really. I think everyone should have some beach time at least once a month to lower stress levels.
3. THE FOOD - Before my ulcer attack, I indulged a bit too much in the wonderful chocolate Spain has to offer. A popular breakfast (at least among tourists) is churros con chocolate, or churros with thick, pudding-like hot chocolate. Please, U.S.A. let's adopt this tradition, shall we?
It was AMAZING! But my body soon told me a bit forcefully that I needed to tone it down....so I switched to tortillas, an omelette-like egg dish with onions and potatoes. As I am a fan of omelettes, this was not too much of a sacrifice, and so I indulged in the traditional Spanish fare with gusto.
4. THE PARKS - after a long day of walking, it was nice to take a break and lay out in the sun, on a bench of the park closest to our hostel. This park had the most beautiful fountain (Shannon said it rivals Trevi Fountain), and this was the scene of many wandering, mundane, sleepy and shallow conversations, as well as copious catnaps. Can I just say that laying in the sun is a luxury that most Californians will never ever understand? Minnesotans, I know you've got me.
5. THE ARCHITECTURE AND ART - while I'm not as enamored of art as Shannon and Alex, I did enjoy going to the Prado and the National Art Institute. Seeing actual Piccasso paintings blew my mind, as did viewing Velazquez' Las Meninas. The Prado is ginormous....kind of like the Louvre I imagine. While it houses imagery of horrific and brutal murders, it is also home to some terrific and less gorey paintings by Goya, Reubens, etc. The great part was that the Prado was free between 18:00 - 20:00, so I went two nights in a row and came not even close to seeing everything. Also of note are the various cathedrals we went to including Gaudi's La Sagrada Familia. It's frickin' huge and full of so much symbolism that I would never be able to understand. What caught me about the cathedral (besides the magnificent facade, of course,) were the stained glass windows visible from the interior. They didn't show religious settings; they were, in fact, just pieces of glass. Because of this, Gaudi seemingly concentrated on brilliance of color instead of a religious depiction making them the most eye-dazzling windows I have ever seen.
Consensus: SPAIN ROCKS!
So ends my ramble, and I bid you good-day.
Good day,
Lauren
After Shannon's quite truthful and detailed report of our trip, I feel like any explanation I would give would be repetitive. Hmmmm....how about I just skip the details and give a highly subjective response to the third-grade essay question, "What did you enjoy most about your trip?"
1. THE GOTHIC QUARTER - holy freaking tark! I love the Gothic Quarter. Wandering around the narrow cobble-stoned streets between huge architectural monuments while listening to the seductive Aussie accent of Shawn, our hunky hunky tour guide was amazing! The tour itself was interesting as I learned a lot in a fun and enjoyable manner, but what I loved most about the Gothic Quarter was losing myself in the little alleyways. The only hope to find one's way was to listen for music and follow it. There were street musicians in almost every corner - a music lover's paradise - and there was one band that I'm still kicking myself over because I didn't get the courage to ask them their name. They sang the most beautiful song I have possibly ever heard. Yeah. That's right. It was powerful.
2. LA PLAYA - Due to rain we were unable to have a picnic and build sand castles the way we had planned. However, we were able to walk the beach one night under a New Moon (insert Twilight joke here). One can imagine that this setting was absolutely breathtaking. After walking around we stumbled upon some sand creatures, which turned out to be pirates, mermaids and monkeys (of the see/hear/speak no evil variety). Pure simple joy is what the beach was. (A horrible, grammatically incorrect sentence; I do apologize, but there it is.) Running around, darting from the ominous, cold waves before they could get me, playing in the sand....all good times. And quite therapeutic, really. I think everyone should have some beach time at least once a month to lower stress levels.
3. THE FOOD - Before my ulcer attack, I indulged a bit too much in the wonderful chocolate Spain has to offer. A popular breakfast (at least among tourists) is churros con chocolate, or churros with thick, pudding-like hot chocolate. Please, U.S.A. let's adopt this tradition, shall we?
It was AMAZING! But my body soon told me a bit forcefully that I needed to tone it down....so I switched to tortillas, an omelette-like egg dish with onions and potatoes. As I am a fan of omelettes, this was not too much of a sacrifice, and so I indulged in the traditional Spanish fare with gusto.
4. THE PARKS - after a long day of walking, it was nice to take a break and lay out in the sun, on a bench of the park closest to our hostel. This park had the most beautiful fountain (Shannon said it rivals Trevi Fountain), and this was the scene of many wandering, mundane, sleepy and shallow conversations, as well as copious catnaps. Can I just say that laying in the sun is a luxury that most Californians will never ever understand? Minnesotans, I know you've got me.
5. THE ARCHITECTURE AND ART - while I'm not as enamored of art as Shannon and Alex, I did enjoy going to the Prado and the National Art Institute. Seeing actual Piccasso paintings blew my mind, as did viewing Velazquez' Las Meninas. The Prado is ginormous....kind of like the Louvre I imagine. While it houses imagery of horrific and brutal murders, it is also home to some terrific and less gorey paintings by Goya, Reubens, etc. The great part was that the Prado was free between 18:00 - 20:00, so I went two nights in a row and came not even close to seeing everything. Also of note are the various cathedrals we went to including Gaudi's La Sagrada Familia. It's frickin' huge and full of so much symbolism that I would never be able to understand. What caught me about the cathedral (besides the magnificent facade, of course,) were the stained glass windows visible from the interior. They didn't show religious settings; they were, in fact, just pieces of glass. Because of this, Gaudi seemingly concentrated on brilliance of color instead of a religious depiction making them the most eye-dazzling windows I have ever seen.
Consensus: SPAIN ROCKS!
So ends my ramble, and I bid you good-day.
Good day,
Lauren
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Starstruck
I'm still hyperventilating a bit so please excuse any fawning and adoring language that is about to occur. We went to see the play The Little Dog Laughed tonight. We got there early so we could get student priced tickets, which just meant that we got the best tickets that were left but for a discounted pri
ce. This ended up being the 6th row right in the middle. Score! Anyway, since we got there early, we walked around a bit and discovered that there was a movie premiere happening just around the corner. It was for the movie The Bounty Hunter starring Jennifer Aniston and Gerard Butler. Kinda freaked out and joined the throng of people trying to shove their way to see them. I didn't get very far, but I did see them both and got some blurry pictures of them. The one here is kind of cheating as it was on the big screen above the red carpet, but it is the best one I have.
ce. This ended up being the 6th row right in the middle. Score! Anyway, since we got there early, we walked around a bit and discovered that there was a movie premiere happening just around the corner. It was for the movie The Bounty Hunter starring Jennifer Aniston and Gerard Butler. Kinda freaked out and joined the throng of people trying to shove their way to see them. I didn't get very far, but I did see them both and got some blurry pictures of them. The one here is kind of cheating as it was on the big screen above the red carpet, but it is the best one I have. So then we saw the play. We had heard it was good, but I will be honest when I say that the main draw for me was that one of the four cast members is Rupert Friend, who plays Prince Albert in The Young Victoria, which is a movie we all know I am obsessed with. Anyway, it turned out to be a really good play. The main woman was Tamsin Greig, who Maggie had heard of, and she was absolutely hilarious and fantastic. The other guy was Harry Lloyd (who isn't famous but was very good) and Gemma Arterton, who you might know from Tess of the D'ubervilles, Lost in Austen, or a little movie called Quantum of Solace. After the play, we waited outside the stage door to get autographs. I was surprised because there were only about 10 people waiting, including us. Rupert Friend appeared first and after an awkward moment when everyone just stood there, I stepped up to him and said, "Hi!" He asked me if I wanted an autograph, I said yes (of course) and then told him how great I thought the play was. Then I also asked him if I could take a picture with him and he said sure
and so that is the picture included here!! Then everyone else (Maggie and a few others) got his autograph and left. I was very proud of myself for stepping up, especially because I acted like a normal person and was very cool and as nonchalant as a person asking a hot actor for an autograph can be. Until he left. Then I freaked out a little. Anyway, Harry Lloyd also signed my program and was very friendly and Tamsin Greig signed, too, and although I could tell she was really tired, she told us that we had been a great audience. We waited awhile for Gemma, but she didn't show up so we left because it was cold. However, 3 out of 4 isn't bad, especially when one was Rupert Friend!!! So, lots of exciting stargazing tonight. :)
and so that is the picture included here!! Then everyone else (Maggie and a few others) got his autograph and left. I was very proud of myself for stepping up, especially because I acted like a normal person and was very cool and as nonchalant as a person asking a hot actor for an autograph can be. Until he left. Then I freaked out a little. Anyway, Harry Lloyd also signed my program and was very friendly and Tamsin Greig signed, too, and although I could tell she was really tired, she told us that we had been a great audience. We waited awhile for Gemma, but she didn't show up so we left because it was cold. However, 3 out of 4 isn't bad, especially when one was Rupert Friend!!! So, lots of exciting stargazing tonight. :)Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Spain Part 2: Madrid
Madrid was not as kind to us weather-wise. It was cold and rainy for both of the days we were there. Luckily, there are plenty of indoor activities one can do in Madrid. Number one: The Prado. We went there twice as it was free after 6pm until 7:30. It is definitely a great museum, although all the paintings I liked weren't the ones they had postcards of in the gift shop. However, they have one of my favorite paintings EVER and I didn't even know it until I saw it on a postcard in the gift shop. I then freaked out, found it on my map and ran off to find it. What is this painting you ask? It is a triptych by Bosch called "The Garden of Earthly Delights" and is the coolest thing you will ever see come out of the 1400s. 
The left side shows paradise, the middle shows what the Earth would be like if we all gave in to sin, and the right shows hell. I studied this in Art History freshman year, and it was mostly the colors and the weird figures in the painting that drew me to it, but I also kind of like the concept too. Of course, I doubt that Bosch was promoting the idea that Earthly Delights would be a good idea (it is a triptych after all) but who knows how ironic he was being. It is so impressive to see in person because it is giant and the colors are just as vibrant as they look in the picture. Plus it is fun to find all the weird creatures. I will admit that I got a shirt that featured a design from this painting and I'm very happy I did.
We visited
the Royal Palace and the Cathedral the next day. The Palace was like any other one which is why I liked going through it so much; it was richly decorated with rooms of different themes, sometimes overdone to such an extent to make them almost gaudy. The porcelain room was one example of this as the walls were covered with porcelain figures and designs that made the room way too busy. The Cathedral was really cool and basically emphasized what I had noticed most about Spain: the art, and most everything for that matter, is more colorful and more angular. I thin
k we tend to see more Italian and French styles and influences and seeing Spanish art and designs was so cool. The paintings in this Cathedral were so brilliantly and brightly colored. I don't know how else to describe it so check out the pictures. After the Cathedral we went to get some churros and chocolate. Churros are amazing because how could fried dough not be amazing? Then you get some hot chocolate with it and dip and eat away. That night we had some amazing Indian food as our hostel was located in a neighborhood full of Indian restaurants.
So now, back to London which all of sudden feels like home. It is nice to be somewhere familiar again. Also, for those of you who don't know, I was accepted to do a summer internship program here so I will be in London until the end of July. Will I continue with the blog? We shall see. :)
The left side shows paradise, the middle shows what the Earth would be like if we all gave in to sin, and the right shows hell. I studied this in Art History freshman year, and it was mostly the colors and the weird figures in the painting that drew me to it, but I also kind of like the concept too. Of course, I doubt that Bosch was promoting the idea that Earthly Delights would be a good idea (it is a triptych after all) but who knows how ironic he was being. It is so impressive to see in person because it is giant and the colors are just as vibrant as they look in the picture. Plus it is fun to find all the weird creatures. I will admit that I got a shirt that featured a design from this painting and I'm very happy I did.We visited
the Royal Palace and the Cathedral the next day. The Palace was like any other one which is why I liked going through it so much; it was richly decorated with rooms of different themes, sometimes overdone to such an extent to make them almost gaudy. The porcelain room was one example of this as the walls were covered with porcelain figures and designs that made the room way too busy. The Cathedral was really cool and basically emphasized what I had noticed most about Spain: the art, and most everything for that matter, is more colorful and more angular. I thin
k we tend to see more Italian and French styles and influences and seeing Spanish art and designs was so cool. The paintings in this Cathedral were so brilliantly and brightly colored. I don't know how else to describe it so check out the pictures. After the Cathedral we went to get some churros and chocolate. Churros are amazing because how could fried dough not be amazing? Then you get some hot chocolate with it and dip and eat away. That night we had some amazing Indian food as our hostel was located in a neighborhood full of Indian restaurants.The next day was our last in Madrid. Our flight wasn't until 8:35 pm, so we had almost the entire day to do some more exploring. It was still rainy and cold, but we decided to go over to the huge park in the heart of the city called Parque del Buen Retiro. It was a bit muddy in some places, but still beautiful. We saw a monument to Alfonso VII, a pond with a waterfall and some black swans, and the Crystal Palace, which wasn't open because it was raining. After some lunch, we were planning on going to an art museum that was free after 2:30, but as we were killing time we were distracted by another museum that was having a giant exhibition on Monet. So we ended up at the Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza which ended up having one of the most amazing permanent collections I have ever seen. It was huge too and I have no idea how I got through the entire thing in one go. Once again, the gift shop sucked as far as having prints of the paintings I liked, but they did a Degas that I really liked. Plus they had the Chagall painting featured in the movie Notting Hill (with the violin-playing goat!!) which is just as cool as Anna Scott says it is. So that was pretty exciting. And then there was the Monet. The exhibition was so big that the second part of it was in a separate building that we had to hike over to. But it was so cool. I think most people think waterlillies, haystacks, and Japanese bridge when they think Monet, but he is so much more than that. There were flowers, willow trees, and his winter scenes are super cool too. We ended up being extremely happy we went to the Monet collection. The Reina Sofia will be a reason to come back.
Overall, most of us liked Barcelona better than Madrid, but to be fair we spent more time in Barcelona, took a walking tour there which made us more familiar with the layout and the history, and the weather and the hostel were a lot nicer. I'd definitely want to go back to both cities, especially Madrid as I didn't think I really got all that I could out of it.
So now, back to London which all of sudden feels like home. It is nice to be somewhere familiar again. Also, for those of you who don't know, I was accepted to do a summer internship program here so I will be in London until the end of July. Will I continue with the blog? We shall see. :)Exeter Cathedral
On my second full day in Exmouth, I went to Exeter, the major city in the area. I didn't much care for most of the city, as it seemed to be full of department/couture stores, but they did have some cool landmarks. I went to Rougemont Castle and Gardens and apparently missed the castle. 
I made it to some Norman ruins and totally missed the giant Georgian structure behind it. Shows where my mind was. Anyway, the ruins I saw were the remnants of a guardhouse and some massive walls. Mainly I walked around and looked at the flowers, because it was sunny and probably at least 50 degrees. Yes, spring is here. There's a ton of crocuses, and some irises and roses. Our program lady, Mary, was lamenting the fact that there's no daffodils yet. Usually by now there's tons and they're exporting them already.
But I digress.
Exeter Cathedral, or the Cathedral Church of St. Peter in Exeter, is a massive building built mostly between 1200 and 1400. The earliest parts are definitely Norman, but that was pretty much the transept and some pillars. The nave has this massive vaulted ceiling, which is pretty gorgeous. It's the longest uninterrupted vaulted ceiling in England.
My favorite thing about the cathedral was the clock in the transept, which is a huge astronomical
clock from the 1480s. The earth is the shiny gold ball in the middle (because this is the geocentric age). The next ring around shows how old the moon is, and the silver ball has a black cover that rotates to show what phase the moon is in. Beyond that the sun (as a fleur-de-lis) points to the hour, and also shows the position of the sun in the sky. The bottom reads "Pereunt Et Imputantur", which means "they perish and are reckoned to our account", referring to the minutes and hours we spend. This is a popular motto for sundials and such, and was written by the poet Martial. I think my favorite thing about the clock is the door beneath it. The mechanisms of the clock were greased with animal fat, which attracted mice, so the bishop had a hole carved in the door for his cat to go through and catch the mice. This is supposedly where Hickory Dickory Dock came from.
The cathedral is also home to the Exeter book, which is the largest collection of Anglo-Saxon literature. According to my professor, it had been used as a cutting board by some monks who were apparently short of kitchen equipment and had to make do. I had to go around to the bishop's house, which doubled as the library, in order to go and see it, but no one answered the bell.
I'm a little disappointed.
But the man who gave me directions there was very nice, and even recognized I was American and translated for me (aka, "pavement" became "sidewalk").
I felt a little sacrilegious taking pictures in there, but they didn't have a lot of postcards and I wanted to remember specific things. I think they didn't have a great shop because they wanted to emphasize the religious and spiritual nature of the cathedral. Makes sense. It's a fairly big departure from the Westminster Abbey shop, I'll tell you that.
I made it to some Norman ruins and totally missed the giant Georgian structure behind it. Shows where my mind was. Anyway, the ruins I saw were the remnants of a guardhouse and some massive walls. Mainly I walked around and looked at the flowers, because it was sunny and probably at least 50 degrees. Yes, spring is here. There's a ton of crocuses, and some irises and roses. Our program lady, Mary, was lamenting the fact that there's no daffodils yet. Usually by now there's tons and they're exporting them already.But I digress.
Exeter Cathedral, or the Cathedral Church of St. Peter in Exeter, is a massive building built mostly between 1200 and 1400. The earliest parts are definitely Norman, but that was pretty much the transept and some pillars. The nave has this massive vaulted ceiling, which is pretty gorgeous. It's the longest uninterrupted vaulted ceiling in England.
My favorite thing about the cathedral was the clock in the transept, which is a huge astronomical
clock from the 1480s. The earth is the shiny gold ball in the middle (because this is the geocentric age). The next ring around shows how old the moon is, and the silver ball has a black cover that rotates to show what phase the moon is in. Beyond that the sun (as a fleur-de-lis) points to the hour, and also shows the position of the sun in the sky. The bottom reads "Pereunt Et Imputantur", which means "they perish and are reckoned to our account", referring to the minutes and hours we spend. This is a popular motto for sundials and such, and was written by the poet Martial. I think my favorite thing about the clock is the door beneath it. The mechanisms of the clock were greased with animal fat, which attracted mice, so the bishop had a hole carved in the door for his cat to go through and catch the mice. This is supposedly where Hickory Dickory Dock came from.The cathedral is also home to the Exeter book, which is the largest collection of Anglo-Saxon literature. According to my professor, it had been used as a cutting board by some monks who were apparently short of kitchen equipment and had to make do. I had to go around to the bishop's house, which doubled as the library, in order to go and see it, but no one answered the bell.
I'm a little disappointed.But the man who gave me directions there was very nice, and even recognized I was American and translated for me (aka, "pavement" became "sidewalk").
I felt a little sacrilegious taking pictures in there, but they didn't have a lot of postcards and I wanted to remember specific things. I think they didn't have a great shop because they wanted to emphasize the religious and spiritual nature of the cathedral. Makes sense. It's a fairly big departure from the Westminster Abbey shop, I'll tell you that.
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Spain Part 1.5: Barcelona
I'm not sure how to write about our trip because any way I divide it up, the posts are going to be loooooonnngg. So, I'll just dive in and see what happens. Also, I usually mention what the pictures are of so look for the little (picture) note after the names of the buildings I mention.
We did finally make it to Spain despite our false start at the beginning. Alex and I were the only ones that got switched to another EasyJet flight (by the way, there is NOTHING easy about EasyJet) so we left Saturday morning. Which meant getting up at 4:30 am so we could catch the tube (which was a half hour late) so we could catch the train to the airport. Luckily, we already had printed our boarding passes and weren't checking any luggage so we got to skip the huge line and so straight to security and to the gate. The flight was delayed, but we made it to Madrid in time to catch our connecting flight to Barcelona. The other four flew straight to Barcelona and we all ended up arriving at the same time. We took the metro together to our hostel and checked in. We weren't all in the same room which made it fun to share stories about the crazy people who were in our rooms with us. But actually it was really nice and my first experience in a hostel wasn't all that bad. That night we wandered around our neighborhood, got some food, may or may not have gotten a little lost, and then went back to the hostel to play some cards. We played A LOT of cards on this trip which made we extremely happy as I had been going through card withdrawal. We also ate a lot of chocolate. :)
Our first full day in Barcelona was beautiful. It was 60 degrees and sunny and we so excited to be there. Our hostel was outside of where the main city center was, so it took about 30-45 minutes to walk there, but it was so nice out that none of us cared. That was also the day when I was somehow designated the "fearless leader" who took control of the map and led us 
everywhere. Needless to say, we got where we were going. However, the first day, we mostly just wandered around everywhere taking in the architecture, the people, the feel, and most importantly, the water! We were on the ocean in the sun. What more can you want from spring break? We had some really good sangria with our lunch and then wandered around some more. We went into the Barcelona Cathedral, walked Las Ramblas, and had a grand old time in the sun. We had dinner on Las Ramblas and then went back to the hostel. When we were playing cards in the common room, we met these three Germans who joined us in our card game. They joined us the next day when we went on a walking tour.
We did finally make it to Spain despite our false start at the beginning. Alex and I were the only ones that got switched to another EasyJet flight (by the way, there is NOTHING easy about EasyJet) so we left Saturday morning. Which meant getting up at 4:30 am so we could catch the tube (which was a half hour late) so we could catch the train to the airport. Luckily, we already had printed our boarding passes and weren't checking any luggage so we got to skip the huge line and so straight to security and to the gate. The flight was delayed, but we made it to Madrid in time to catch our connecting flight to Barcelona. The other four flew straight to Barcelona and we all ended up arriving at the same time. We took the metro together to our hostel and checked in. We weren't all in the same room which made it fun to share stories about the crazy people who were in our rooms with us. But actually it was really nice and my first experience in a hostel wasn't all that bad. That night we wandered around our neighborhood, got some food, may or may not have gotten a little lost, and then went back to the hostel to play some cards. We played A LOT of cards on this trip which made we extremely happy as I had been going through card withdrawal. We also ate a lot of chocolate. :)Our first full day in Barcelona was beautiful. It was 60 degrees and sunny and we so excited to be there. Our hostel was outside of where the main city center was, so it took about 30-45 minutes to walk there, but it was so nice out that none of us cared. That was also the day when I was somehow designated the "fearless leader" who took control of the map and led us 
everywhere. Needless to say, we got where we were going. However, the first day, we mostly just wandered around everywhere taking in the architecture, the people, the feel, and most importantly, the water! We were on the ocean in the sun. What more can you want from spring break? We had some really good sangria with our lunch and then wandered around some more. We went into the Barcelona Cathedral, walked Las Ramblas, and had a grand old time in the sun. We had dinner on Las Ramblas and then went back to the hostel. When we were playing cards in the common room, we met these three Germans who joined us in our card game. They joined us the next day when we went on a walking tour.Our second day in Barcelona started with a walking tour. Our tour guide was named Shawn and he was from Australia and he was very knowledgeable about the area. He had travelled all over Europe before ending up in Barcelona and he's only 22! Anyway, it was a very long tour, but really cool and with a beer stop in the middle. A little bit about Barcelona. It is in part of the country known as Catalonia which has tried and failed many times to be separate from Spain. They do speak Spanish there but the main language is Catalan which made communicating that much more fun. However, Beka and Lauren were both spoke Spanish well and Mike spoke some too and they managed to get us through. Anyway, on the tour we went through George Orwell plaza where they had a funny looking statue dedicated to him. When the artist revealed it, no one understood what it was and the artist was very put out when he had to explain that is was what a tuberculosis
cell looked like under a microscope and that he chose it because that is what George Orwell died of. Strange choice to design a statue to celebrate his death rather than his life. But the people of Catalonia really like him because he fought against the Spanish when they were trying to gain independence, although he only fought for a week before getting injured. However, the most amusing part about this plaza was that since it is a popular place for drug dealers, the plaza is full of cameras....so Big Brother is always watching you in Placa de George Orwell. That night we walked along the beach which was absolutely beautiful and there were some cool sand sculptures too.
The next was Gaudi day. Antoni Gaudi is a very famous architect that has tons of stuff all over Barcelona. We first went to La Sagrada Familia (left picture) which is a church he designed and is still not fini
shed. They started it in the 1890s and after many failed deadlines, now believe it will be finished in 2050. We'll see. But despite its being under construction, it is incredible. His style is completely unique in how he incorporates themes of nature and ironic bits and pieces that you have to look closely to see. We then went to Park Guell which Gaudi designed and where he lived. It is way up on a hill which meant a fantastic view once we got up there. There is a cool terrace that he designed, plus some houses, a stairway (picture above), and a bunch of other things. Finally, we went to two more of Gaudi's buildings that were in the city. It was a lot of walking, but luckily it was really sunny and nice. That night we went to a flamenco show which was incredible. They move their feet so fast and we all came out dancing a little.
cell looked like under a microscope and that he chose it because that is what George Orwell died of. Strange choice to design a statue to celebrate his death rather than his life. But the people of Catalonia really like him because he fought against the Spanish when they were trying to gain independence, although he only fought for a week before getting injured. However, the most amusing part about this plaza was that since it is a popular place for drug dealers, the plaza is full of cameras....so Big Brother is always watching you in Placa de George Orwell. That night we walked along the beach which was absolutely beautiful and there were some cool sand sculptures too.
The next was Gaudi day. Antoni Gaudi is a very famous architect that has tons of stuff all over Barcelona. We first went to La Sagrada Familia (left picture) which is a church he designed and is still not fini
shed. They started it in the 1890s and after many failed deadlines, now believe it will be finished in 2050. We'll see. But despite its being under construction, it is incredible. His style is completely unique in how he incorporates themes of nature and ironic bits and pieces that you have to look closely to see. We then went to Park Guell which Gaudi designed and where he lived. It is way up on a hill which meant a fantastic view once we got up there. There is a cool terrace that he designed, plus some houses, a stairway (picture above), and a bunch of other things. Finally, we went to two more of Gaudi's buildings that were in the city. It was a lot of walking, but luckily it was really sunny and nice. That night we went to a flamenco show which was incredible. They move their feet so fast and we all came out dancing a little.Our last day in Barcelona was a rainy one, but we had saved the museums for that day. We also had another new friend. Fernanda was one of my roommates and she was from Brazil. She was super nice so I invited her to come along on our day to the museums. We first went to the National Art Museum of Catalan which featured an amazing collection of art by mostly Catalonian an
d Spanish artists. We also saw the Olympic stadium as Barcelona was the site of the 1992 Olympic Games. A lot of the statues and cool buildings were built because they were hosting the Olympics. The funniest one is that they built an Arc de Triomf (picture). As I mentioned earlier, they have tried and failed many times to gain independence but have never actually been triumphant. They simply saw the French one and said "Hey, that looks cool" and built one for themselves. We also went to the Picasso museum. Both Picasso and Miro were from Barcelona and have museums dedicated to them. We only made it to the Picasso museum, and unfortunately it was a little disappointing. They had a lot of his early work, which was really cool, but not much after that. For a museum dedicated to Picasso, they really did not have a very good range of his works. That night, we were all pretty tired, so we picked up some bread and cheese at the store and had that for dinner at our hostel and played cards with our friends we had made in Barcelona.
d Spanish artists. We also saw the Olympic stadium as Barcelona was the site of the 1992 Olympic Games. A lot of the statues and cool buildings were built because they were hosting the Olympics. The funniest one is that they built an Arc de Triomf (picture). As I mentioned earlier, they have tried and failed many times to gain independence but have never actually been triumphant. They simply saw the French one and said "Hey, that looks cool" and built one for themselves. We also went to the Picasso museum. Both Picasso and Miro were from Barcelona and have museums dedicated to them. We only made it to the Picasso museum, and unfortunately it was a little disappointing. They had a lot of his early work, which was really cool, but not much after that. For a museum dedicated to Picasso, they really did not have a very good range of his works. That night, we were all pretty tired, so we picked up some bread and cheese at the store and had that for dinner at our hostel and played cards with our friends we had made in Barcelona.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)